The Smuggling of Ben Solo
by MCLoveProductions
Summary: There was a pull, no an anchor, something that held him back from turning completely to the dark but also held him from going back to the light. It was there all this time, weighing him down. Until she came along, and now that cord is cut, and Ben Solo is free. (TROS Rewrite cause I can. Reylo obvs.)
1. Chapter 1

_Yes. I know I never finished my GoT fic. I'm sorry. I have the focus of cheese, but here: have these Star Wars fics I said I wouldn't write because; cheese, that basically rewriting all of TROS because I'm distraught after the end and I need to share my feelings with the people. Enjoy._

_edit: I'm sorry forgot to stay this story starts before any of the events from TROS has happened!_

* * *

Rey had learned through her Jedi training that everything that happened within the Force happened for a reason. Life and death brought balance. For everything good that happened, somewhere in the galaxy, a tragedy would occur. It was the way of life. She had come to except it.

It's what brought her together with Ben Solo, and kept them linked together.

In the months that place since her time on the Supremacy, the bond between Kylo Ren and Rey of Jakku had tightened exponentially. Though a bond is not exactly what Rey would call it. Rey would describe Kylo's presence as a bug that just won't go away. And yes, Kylo. She could constantly felt Kylo Ren trying to push back all things that made him Ben Solo. Trying hard to snuff out his own light. Kylo also only seemed to be there in the least convenient times. When she was hungry, he would feel her stomach rumble. If he was tired, she would be overcome with his fatigue. Every single emotion and feeling they felt, they both felt. Even when they were hurting.

Mostly when they were hurting.

Sparing. Fighting. Falling. Scaping. Anything that inflicts pain they both felt. She shared Kylo's bruises and aches. He felt Rey's cramping and frustrations. She always found her self trying to explain his emotions to other people. It was truly the strangest sensation in the galaxy, and time would only seem to make the bond stronger.

Then came the day, about 7 months after she had last seen him in person. Rey was walking through the resistance camp when she felt it. A pain so sharp in her chest that forced her to let go of the portions in her hands and drop right to her knees. Rose Tico and Lt. Connix was near her as she fell, rushing to her side to see what was wrong. From a distance, Finn had seen her fall and rushed to her side. Her vision was hazy and she seemed to be excruciating pain.

Yet, it wasn't her pain, it was someone else's.

_Ben!?_

Just as quickly as his name came to mind, she could see him there. His mask was on but she could still feel he was suffering just as he was, she could sense his eyes looking right through her, and that's what they both knew:

The pain wasn't them. It was... _someone else_.

"The General! She has Fallen!"

Rey could hear the people around her panic, but it was a faint noise. The voices next to her were nothing compared to the increasing heartbeat she could hear inside Kylo Ren's chest. In unison, they rose from the ground from where they fell. Rey could barely hear Finn calling for her to stop, but her feet carried her across the outpost to where Leia had gone down. Every step she took, she could feel her force fading.

Leia was dying.

As Rey reached her, she fell to her bedside and reached out for Leia's hand. She was barely hanging on. So focused on Leia's pain she didn't even realize Kylo kneeling next to her. By reaching out to Leia, it had made her real for him. He could see his mother suffering. Kylo Ren removed his helmet and underneath it, she found Ben Solo. She could feel Ben's heart beating rapidly, at the same pace as hers. She had never seen him seem so... sad.

"I didn't think..." Leia breathed through her pain. She had been holding out for so long, not wanting to leave her son behind until he could be brought home but she couldn't continue to hold on any longer.

"Stop, you need to save your breath." He told his mother, his hand over Rey's as they both held on to Leia. He looked over at Rey, she could see the panic in his face, "Why aren't your people doing anything?!" He snapped at Rey. He waited for a response but she couldn't find her words. She had a hard time accepting that this was even happening and all she could do was kneel there in tears, "Rey!-"

_What's happening to me... It cannot be fixed by a doctor._

They both looked at each other and then back to Leia. She was speaking to them through the force now. Their shared grip tightens on her hand, "Leia..."

_This has been a long time coming,_ They could see tears building in her eyes as they shut. They could feel how tired she was as she loosened her grip. She was ready to let go, _I only wish... Ben could be here... One last time..._

Ben let go of both their hands as he shot up off the ground. It didn't matter how badly he wanted to be by her side; really by her side, it was too late for him to come home now. They would shoot him out of the sky the moment he reached altitude. With nothing else he could do, Ben rushed off and Rey could no longer see him.

_Rey,_ Her eyes focused back on Leia, _My son is still in there. I know it... Bring him home..._

As many others rushed to Leia's side to help her, Rey rose to her feet and headed as far away from the camp as she could. She could feel Finn and Poe's eyes watch her as she rushed off but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was Leia's dying wish.

She had to bring her son home.

* * *

She was reaching out to him. Ben could feel it. No not Ben, that wasn't him anymore. He was Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. That dying woman was the General of the Resistance. She wasn't his mother anymore. He couldn't allow these feelings to continue to tear him apart like this.

He couldn't go back. Not anymore.

"Ben?!"

_Fuck_. She found him. His feelings were so scattered he allowed himself to be found by Rey. He couldn't be more disgusted by how she found him, too. His head cradled in his hands as he sat on the edge of his bed. The force weighing heavy on his chest and he tried his damnedest to remember who he was. Who he was meant to be.

"Ben?" She appeared in front of him, getting down on one knee to get a better look at him. "What are you doing? Your mother is dying-"

"I don't have a mother anymore!" He yelled in that dark, twisted voice. The same he used when he tried to hide underneath his mask, "Ben Solo is dead!" Ben hoped if kept trying to lie and deny the truth, to let go of all of it and just be Kylo Ren that everything would go back to how it was. _Let the past die._ That's what he was doing. Did? Trying to do? His brain was scattered trying to control his emotions and let the darkness guide him like he thought it was supposed to but when he looked at Rey's face he found himself letting it pull him back in.

_The light._

"Stop trying to be something your not!" Rey yelled back, "Your mother needs you, now, while she's still holding on," After a moment Rey was in tears. She wanted to reach out for him, but she still wasn't ready for that. However, Rey was ready to do whatever it took to bring Ben Solo home. For Leia. For Luke. For Han, "I can sneak you into the camp, they will never know you were there."

"Do you hear what you're saying?" Ben's voice was harsh and dark, but his eyes look tired and defeated, "You want to sneak the Supreme Leader of the First Order onto the last Resistance base?"

"No," Rey shook her head as she sniffed back her tears, "I just want to fulfill a mother's dying wish... that's all," He didn't react, only keeping a blank face as he stared at her, "Ben, please..."

"Get out of my head!" The distorted, curt voice that growled out of his gritted teeth was that of Kylo Ren. Defeated and in tears, she would not bother him any longer. So just as quickly as Rey found him, she vanished.

The moment she was gone he let out a sob. The feeling of being torn apart was agonizing to the point he wished he was dead instead of having to deal with all of his feelings. Part of his wanted to go back, to try to make amends for what he has done no matter how long it took, but he knew in his chest that all his enemies wanted him dead. All he could figure to do was remind himself he was too far gone. Going back would change nothing, and there was nothing he could do to take away the pain he inflicted on the galaxy. Ben was alone for only a few moments before he felt another presence in the room with him. Before Ben could tell them to go away, a voice spoke out. An old and familiar voice:

"Hey, kid."

His head jerked back to find his father standing behind him. How could this be? Han Solo was no Jedi. Was he a ghost? A dream? It didn't matter, because his father was here, now, when he needed him the most, "Dad?" The words slip out before he even realized he said them. When was the last time he even called him that? Ben couldn't recall.

"It's time to go home, Ben," Han told him, a smirk on his face.

"I can't," Ben replied as he shook his head like a sad child, "Your son is gone. I killed him. He can't go back," Ben began to choke up, "It's too late."

"No, it's not," Ben could feel himself quiver as his father reached out for his face. For whatever this was, it felt real. Like a memory rewritten, "Come home. We miss you."

"I'm being torn apart," Ben told him, tears in his eyes, "I want to be free of this pain... I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it," With a sigh, Ben looked into his father's eyes, "Will you help me?"

Han nodded, "Yes. Anything."

Ben turned to his left. Next to him on a pedestal was the burnt remains of Darth Vader's mask. He knew what needed to be done.

Ben turned around, reaching for his lightsaber, turning it on and then putting his attention on the mask. With a single swipe downwards, he destroyed the final remains of the mask letting Darth Vader and Kylo Ren die with it.

It was time to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

_I like this chapter a lot more than the last. I might go back to fix the last one, but we'll see.  
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!_

* * *

It was hard to sleep with all that had happened that after. Leia was still holding on but the doctors were certain she wouldn't be with them for long. So many people came to say goodbye. To tell the General how much she meant to them.

All except for one.

Rey couldn't find Ben. She looked for him in the force, but she knew he was blocking her out. He was mad and her, most likely. She pushed too hard, and she knew that, but what else could she do? She has tried so hard all this time to bring Ben Solo back. It's all Leia and Han ever wanted. What Luke wanted. What _she_ wanted.

A touch on the shoulder made her jump from where she sat across from Leia's resting body. When Rey turned around she found Poe standing behind her, "It's my turn to watch her. You get some sleep."

"I'm alright," Rey replied trying to sit back down, but a comforting hand on her arm stopped her.

"Rey, go," Poe told her. He looked just as exhausted as she did but Rey knew if anyone in this camp carried for Leia as much as she did it was Poe, "It's not like she's going anywhere." Rey nodded, stepping out of the way so Poe can take her seat. As she started to head out of the building where Leia was being kept she heard Poe call back out for her, "Hey, and uh... Finn's looking for you."

Rey turned back and smiled in acknowledgment before turning to exit the building. The camp has gone quiet. She could feel people's hope was fading and the light Leia brought to them was dimming with her. It made her wish she could do something for them. Help bring their hope back-

_Rey?_

_Ben!_ Rey looked around looking for the source of his voice, _I can't see you._

_I can't visit you and fly at the same time, Rey_, His voice called out to her and it made her smile. Ben was coming home. She did it. _You have to tell me where you are so I can come to you._

_Wait._

If Ben knew where the resistance base was located then so would the First Order. This could not really be Ben at all. He could still be Kylo. This could be a trap.. he could be using her.

_Rey? I need you to tell me where you are._ His voice called out for her but she did not respond. She was torn, for a moment. Does she tell him where she is? What was the right choice here?

What would Leia do?

_No. I'll meet you on Crait_, Rey replied. Finn was approaching her now. He would want to talk and she would need to make it quick.

_But my mother-_

_Isn't going anywhere,_ Rey smiled slightly as Finn approached her, greeting her with a hug.

"How are you?" Finn asked her as he inspected her body, "I heard you that collapsed right before Leia did today.

"I'm okay," Rey lied. She wasn't fully okay, she was tired, stressed and anxious. The worst part is she wasn't sure if it was Ben or herself feeling these things, only that the feeling felt tripled by their bond, "I was going to try to sleep."

"I wanted to actually ask if you had a moment," Finn led out his hand to lead her somewhere, and she followed and listened as he led her away, "I feel like you've been... different, since your time on the Supremacy and we haven't really gotten to talk about it..."

"There's nothing to talk about it, Snoke and Kylo Ren tried to kill me, but they didn't," Rey told her lies for the hundredth time. Did she wonder if anyone really believed it? Just the taste of the words slipping out of her mouth sounded like a lie-

"It's just... some people have seen you, talking to yourself," Finn replied, "And I know you said you're alright but I'm just worried. What if they did something to you?"

With the sound of a hum, there was the smell of salt in the air, and Rey immediately lost track of the conversation. He made it to Crait. _Already_. Rey was impressed. She could see Ben beyond the pathway they walked. He could tell by her distracted face she was still at the camp.

"Are you coming soon? We can't waste any more time..." Ben was pacing back and forth. By the strong scent, she knew he was outside, "Tell me your coming, Rey." She could see Finn in front of her, see his mouth moving but nothing seemed to come out. All she could hear was the panic in Ben's voice and she knew she had to go.

"Finn," Rey stopped his conversation short, her heart beating fast thanks to Ben's, "Finn, I'm so sorry, there's something I have to do."

Without letting him reply, Rey, rushed off, racing towards the Falcon. She had to make it to Crait and fast. Leia would get her last wish, it's what she promised her, "I'm coming, Ben, wait for me."

Finally, aboard the Falcon, Rey rushed to get the ship prepped and ready to leave. From behind her, she heard heavy steps. "Chewie I'm heading out, I promise I'll be quick." Her furry copilot yelled at her, a frustrated growl, "I know she is, but this is important," He growled again replying to her, "It's 'need to know', for Leia only ears." His third roar was much more frustrated and angry than his previous two, "Chewie I... she needs this. I can't tell you what but, please, I need to do this."

The massive Wookie pushed her out of the way and helped her start the ship, making it clear to her that wherever Rey would go, he was sure to follow.

"Okay, well, set our course to Crait, Chewie," Rey turned back, she could see Ben sitting behind them, patiently waiting for her arrival, "We have something important waiting for us."

* * *

It didn't take them too long to get to Crait. The planet had reached nightfall by the time they got there, but they could the very iconic TIE fighter that was known for Kylo Ren. Except Rey knew it wasn't Kylo Ren waiting for her here on Crait. It was Ben Solo, he had turned.

She can hear Chewie make a growl, worry in his voice, "It's alright, Chewie, I know what I'm doing." The Wookie snarled and rolled his eyes. Rey knew he's probably heard that line a thousand times and for a moment she thought of Han. _I hope what I'm doing is right._

As they settled the ship down she did see any sign of Ben by his TIE fighter. The moment she could get out of her seat she did, rushing down out of the Falcon and out onto the red and sandy ground. She looked around for Ben, trying to feel his force and let him know she had arrived for him. "Ben..." His name escaped her lips like a whisper. As much as she wanted to be screaming it, she didn't want to give herself away. Just in case this was indeed a trap.

"Rey?" His voice called out for her. From behind the TIE fighter, Ben appeared and he looked... different. Stripped of all the things that made him Kylo Ren; the cloak, the mask, and his lightsaber. All he wore was his black pants, boots, and a black long-sleeved shirt. There was a look in his eye like she had never seen before as he approached her slowly. Now, _this_ was Ben Solo. She could feel it in her bones. She could feel it in the force. As he stood no more than an arms-length away from her she could see he hasn't been okay; most likely crying and stressed. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to- "You came." His voice cut her thoughts off.

She smiled at the sound of his reply, "Of course I did."

"You brought the Falcon," He didn't look very pleased to see his father's ship parked before him. She could feel his distaste for the thing, "Of all the ships..."

"It's my ship, what other ship do you think I'd fly to get you in?" Rey raised an eyebrow at his comments. There was a story there, one she wanted desperately to know. "There's also something else..."

"What is-" Ben's voice was cut off by the sound of a Wookies cry in the distance. He looked past her to see Chewbacca charging at him. 'Oh, Sh-" Ben grunted as Chewie shoulder charged him into the ground. Rey could feel the pain growing in Ben's back as he hit the ground hard, not as intensely as he must have felt it but the pain was definitely there. The roar Chewie let out next was defensive and angry. He hadn't been this close to Ben since he had killed his father, and Chewie definitely had not forgiven him for that.

"Chewie wait!" Rey yelled to make him stop the Wookie was already picking him off the floor and holding him in the air. The final roar he let out next seemed to shake the ground with his fury, but for all the anger Chewbacca had let out Ben did not budge. All he did was take the beating, and in his eyes, Rey saw he welcomed it.

He wanted to pay for what he had done.

It took the Wookie a moment to realize that Ben wasn't going to fight back. It was the far opposite, really. Ben was ready for this beating. His glossy eyes staring back at Chewie waiting for him to strike, but thankfully he didn't and instead Chewie let Ben go; letting him drop to the ground with a hard thud.

The moment he hit the sand, Rey rushed to his side. She could feel her body starting to ache more as she touched him. Their bond seemed to increase in intensity the closer they were, "Are you alright?" Chewbacca yelled, arguing with her as she tried to help Ben from the floor. Rey did her best to defend herself to her copilot, "I didn't tell you we were picking him up cause I know you'd try to stop me." He argued some more as he followed Rey and Ben to the Falcon, "Leia needs him, Chewie, he has to come back with us."

The Wookie argued some more until Ben intervened, "Chewie," he let Rey go and walked slowly closer to his father's number 2, "I'm sorry, for Dad, for everything. If you want to kill me later I understand, but I have to see my mother," She didn't have to look Ben in eye to know he was tearing up, she could hear it in his voice, "I have to." After a few moments of silence, Chewie didn't reply, but he seemed to accept what Ben said. Ben kept his ground as the Wookie grunted, walking passed him and headed into the Falcon.

Rey put her hand on Bens' arm, pulling him gently towards the ship, "Let's get you home."


	3. Chapter 3

Being on the Falcon was like taking a step back in time.

Ben Solo felt like a child again. He had flown in this ship so many times. Never himself; no, his father would never let him actually fly the Millenium Falcon, but Ben had many memories of him being a child playing around aboard this ship. At least, when his father was home.

The best memories he had of his family were the fading ones, the moments from his earliest years that he tried so hard to hold on to. Before all the darkness, before Snoke and his Uncle's betrayal. He tried not to dwell on those thoughts anymore.

He would be better, for his mother.

"Ben?" Rey's voice cut through all the dark thoughts in his mind like a beacon of light. If he would find his way back into the light, it would be because of her, "Ben, are you okay?"

"I," Ben didn't know he feared opening up to her, it wasn't like she wasn't aware of the deep anxiety his force was filled with, "I haven't stepped on this ship in... I can't even tell you."

"Because of your father?" Rey questioned in hopes to get him to open up. She could see his face somber up and he took a deep breath. These were questions for another time, "You don't have to-"

"He tried teaching me to fly her once," Ben chuckled breathlessly as he thought back on the moment, "I felt like he expected so much of me: as if my only destiny was to immediately become the carefree, smuggling pilot he was. To fly out into space and abandon my mother for months at a time, but that wasn't me. That was him."

"So what happened," Rey asked, "The day he tried to teach you?"

Ben smirked, "I almost crashed us into a moon."

Rey couldn't help but laugh at his story. The image at a young, shorter Ben Solo failing miserably at piloting his father's ship filling her thoughts as she smiled at the picture she had created in her mind. Rey wanted to know that Ben, the boy who laughed and felt free of all the pain he kept inside. A happier Ben Solo. She imagined what it would be like to see him truly smile.

That was the Ben she wanted to trust. The one she wants to-

"Rey?" Ben was closer to now. _How did__ he get so close?_

"Everything ok?"

Rey sighed. She hated to question him now that they were almost back at camp, but she just needed to make sure, "This isn't a trick right? You're not going to start hurting people the moment we land, are you?"

Ben didn't look shocked, and she was almost certain he must have sensed her conflict with this whole time. How couldn't he? She was smuggling the number one enemy of the Resistance onto their own base. Rey had no idea how she was even going to pull this off. All she knew, is that she had no other choice.

"I have no weapons, no one knows I'm here, and I am not going to betray you," Ben replied calmly.

Rey tried to get a feel of his force, to see whether or not he was being honest, but she felt no dishonesty in him, "Promise me, Ben. You will not hurt a soul."

"I promise," He answered almost immediately.

Before anything else could be exchanged between the two of them they could hear Chewie call, the would arrive soon.

* * *

Rey had the right to be as nervous as she was. They had just landed back on Ajan Kloss, Ben Solo in tow, and now she had to sneak him past the entire Resistance and into his mother most likely guarded room. The more she thought about it, the more she knew this was all a terrible idea.

"You don't have a plan, do you?" Ben questioned Rey as he and Chewie sat and watched her pace. He was certain that if he had left her there pacing like that long enough she'd dig a hole right through the Falcon with her feet.

Chewie growled and groaned, he wasn't force-sensitive like they were but it didn't mean he couldn't feel the worry in the room.

"I could- I could cause a distraction, do something to get people's attention... a-and give you enough time to go through the camp," Rey started to list off all possible outcomes: the good and the bad, "If we are lucky no one will see you and you can get to her no problem, but if we aren't..." Rey was near the point of hyperventilation, "Someone will most definitely shoot you on sight." She reluctantly imagined Ben getting shot and instantly chest tightened, "I can't do this."

"Of course you can," Ben reassured her from his seat, "I'm here, Rey, you already did half the work. The next step will be easy."

"One person, Ben, it only takes one person catching you to ruin everything we are trying to do," Rey explained through her barely contained panic attack, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know you won't," Ben got up from his seat and walked over to Rey. With a gentle hand, he stopped her from pacing, "I trusted you enough to come out here, and I trust you enough to know you will get me to my mother," They inhaled and exhaled in sync, trying to calm themselves and each other down, "You lead, I'll follow. No one will see me."

His eyes seemed gentler than they have in the past. They calmed her, and with a nod, Rey was ready to begin.

Chew jumped up with a growl before they could leave, rushing to a different section of the ship. He was looking for something, "Chewie? What is it?" Rey called for him. Moments later the Wookie returned with a cloak in his hands, walking up to Ben and offering it to him. By the looks of it, it was something very similar to what Luke used to wear, except it was a much darker brown.

Hesitantly, Ben took the cloak from Chewbacca, "Thank you," He put the cloak around him, pulling the hood over his head and then looking to Rey, "Let's go."

* * *

When the coast was clear, Rey and Ben exited the Falcon. Luckily it was late and no one seemed to be around when they returned. Ben made his way into the shadows of the forest that surrounded the camp, and Rey made right through the base. As she walked alone she could see Ben walking next to her, following her steps from the shadows, "Just keep going, I'm not far behind."

She nodded only slightly, making her way to where Leia was resting. Rey walked past a few of her fellow resistance members but no one stopped her or barely bat an eye. Most people were sleeping at this hour, so she had no problem with being stopped.

As Rey reached Leia's quarters, she peaked her head into the room and sure enough, she found someone watching her. It was Poe, and he seemed to be dead asleep.

"Is someone there?"

_Yes._

"You need to get rid of them."

_I know._

Rey slowly made her way into the room, careful not to wake her sleeping friend. She could feel how weak Leia's force was the moment she closed the door behind her. Carefully, she approached the sleeping Poe, putting a hand on his shoulder the same way he did not long ago.

He shook awake with her touch, but calmed down when he saw it was only Rey, "You're back."

"It's my turn to sit a while," Rey smiled at Poe, and in the corner of her eye, she can see Ben in the room through their connection. He's staring at his mother's body, watching her chest rise and fall with every breath she takes, "Why don't you go get some rest?"

Poe smiled sleepily and rose from his chair to leave. Rey watched as he headed for the door, smiling at him when he turned back to wave sluggishly goodbye. The second he was gone, Rey could feel the connection was cut and the real Ben Solo had entered Leia's quarters.

Without missing a beat, Ben rushed to his mother's side. He removed his hood and took her one hand into his, holding it tight as he stared at her face, "Mom? It's me... it's Ben."

There was no reply. She wasn't truly dead, but she was close to it.

"Mom? Come on, Mom, I'm here," Ben's voice was basically begging for Leia to respond, but she was too weak to use her voice. Instead, Ben concentrated on calling to her through the force, "Be with me."

_Of course, I'm with you Ben,_ The could both hear her voice, calling out to them through the force, _I never stopped being with you, you just wouldn't let me in._

Ben immediately start to sob to her words, "Mom-"

_I know_, Leia's voice replied, _But you never needed me to tell you how to come back to the light, Ben. You did it all on your own. That was your choice, and I am so proud._

"I should've come back sooner," Ben sobbed, the guilt of abandoning her absolutely crushing him. He doesn't even notice his emotions have even started to make Rey cry, "This is my fault."

_No, it's not, Ben, the Dark Side is a tempting place and I failed you by not guiding you away from it_, Leia explained to her son with the sweetest voice, _But you don't need me to guide you anymore. You found the light on your own._ They could almost hear her smiling, it was more emotion than either of them could bear.

"Rey," Rey's head jolted up to the sound of her master's voice, her true real voice, "Thank you... for bringing him back to me," her voice was faint and meek, but she tried her best to speak clearly, "I know you will continue you keep him in the light... I believe you," She smiled at Ben, "In both of you." Ben looked down at his mother, who was now looking back him with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, "The force... will guide you... always-"

She was gone.

Rey could feel what she could only describe as Ben's heartbreaking in two. She couldn't move as she listened to him weeping over the loss of his mother. For as much as this moment broke her, it was absolutely ripping Ben in two.

Very slowly, Rey put her hand on Ben's back. At the sensation of her touch, he turned to face Rey's body, holding her close by her legs as he sobbed into her clothes. She placed her free hand on his head, playing with his hair as she stared up into the ceiling. She tried so hard to find comfort in the fact that she let Leia see Ben one more time, but by the maker did it hurt knowing she was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

_Going to see TROS again this weekend. I just wanna revel in all the Reylo goodness  
I'm basically a junkie at this point. I'll take whatever Disney is tryna give me lol_

* * *

She gave him only a couple minutes to get out as tears as he could. Rey hated to have to take this moment of mourning from him but now they were on borrowed time. Any moment now someone would come in and realize Leia has passed.

She needed to get Ben out of there.

"Ben, Ben look at me," Rey held his face up with both hands so she knew he was looking at her, "We need to get you out of here. You're not safe here." He didn't reply, only continuing to stare at Rey as the tears fell down his face. She couldn't tell what was on his mind at that moment, letting Rey know that he had blocked her off from connecting with him, "Ben, please..."

After a deep and shaky exhale, Ben rose to his feet and put his hood over his head, "Where should I go?"

"Back to the Falcon," Rey told him, an eerie feeling lingering in the air. Someone was coming, "I'll be right there I promise, just go." She hated having to push him away from this moment, but she already promised to let nothing happen to him. Before turning to leave, Ben looked back at his mother one last time, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead before running out of the room.

He was gone just in time because just seconds after he left Finn rushed into the room in a panic.

"Rey?" There was a pale look on his face. Almost like he had known Leia had passed before he ever entered the room.

Rey turned towards Finn, wiping her tears away. Tears cried for more than just her fallen master, "She- She's gone."

"I know," Finn replied, "I felt it."

Rey looked confused by his choice of words, "Felt... It? Like..."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Finn took a deep breath as he tried to fight back any of his tears, "I think I'm force-sensitive."

"How did that-"

"I'm not sure," Finn replied, "but I felt Leia go... And, that's not all..."

Rey raised her brow, suddenly she felt nervous, "What do you mean-"

"Someone... Someone other than you was here when she passed," Finn looked upset now and it was making Rey very anxious, "A presence I've felt before... A dark presence..."

_Ben._

Rey could feel her heart starting to pick up. _He knows. He must know._ "I don't follow."

"There has been something strange going on with you," Finn explained, "and then I felt it... The other day when you tried to run off while we were talking. A third presence, strong in the force. It wasn't you, and it wasn't Leia."

"I don't know what you're trying to get at but-"

"You haven't been the same since the Supremecy," Finn pointed out, "Hell, you haven't been the same since you left to go find Luke. There's something you're hiding from me," Finn stepped closer to her and Rey backed away. Her heart was pounding, "What are you hiding from me, Rey?"

_Rey. What's wrong?_

Ben.

He could feel her anxiety rising higher and higher. Their clashing emotions were making for one crazy, messed up a cocktail of feelings. And all of the emotions they were both feeling just tripled in intensity. Rey rushed out of the room the way Ben left, the only thing on her mind was trying to get back to the Falcon.

Except, this time when she tried to rush off Finn was following close behind.

"Rey? Rey! You can't run this time, you need to tell me what's going on," Finn yelled as he followed her through the forest.

"I-I can't do this right now..." Rey got the words out through all the panic, the last of her word's croaking up like a whisper, "I can't."

"Rey?" There was a hum in the air, Ben's voice ringing out above Finn's as the connection was made. Ben was following close behind her, watching her panic and evade a figure he could not see, "Are you okay? What's happening?"

Finn's voice played like static beneath the hum of the connection, but could still be heard. "Rey! I'm not letting you brush this off!"

"Rey, I can feel something is wrong, you need to talk to me."

"Rey, come back."

"Rey?"

"Rey!"

"**Stop!**" Rey screamed over all the voices in her head, she was in tears now, unable to control her emotions. She looked at Finn, Ben's connection not far behind him looking very worried, "You wouldn't understand... I'm sorry."

"I wouldn't- you won't even tell me what's-" Finn stopped mid-sentence when suddenly he realized she was looking at something behind him. When he turned around no one was there, but Rey was still staring, "Who are you looking at?"

Rey was sobbing now, not able to admit the truth to her dear friend, "I can't..."

"Tell me..." Finn's voice got angry making Rey feel scared.

The fear inside Rey ignited other feelings inside Ben. Her eyes closed as he cut the connection, making her feel more alone then ever, "I can't."

It took Finn a few moments to piece the clues together until suddenly all the answers clicked in his head, "It's him, isn't it?" Finn exhaled in disgust, "Kylo Ren."

Rey couldn't reply, how could she tell anyone that this whole time she's been connected to the one person whose goal was once to destroy the entire Resistance. The one who almost killed Finn. The one who killed Han... Except: Ben wasn't that person. Rey wasn't linked with Kylo Ren. That person was gone and only Ben Solo remained. Not that it mattered, because with all the rage blinding Finn at that moment there was no way he would understand the difference.

"He tried to kill me!" Finn screamed.

Rey let out a sob, "I know..."

"He killed Han! His own father- and you, you've been talking to him?" Finn's eyes went wide with fear, "Does he know where we are? Can he see this place? Can he-" he saw the guilt in her face and suddenly it clicked, "No... No, Rey. You didn't really bring him here, did you? Please tell me you didn't..."

"_She_ was his Mother!" It was the only thing she could think of to yell back.

"_He_ is a monster!" Finn yelled furiously, "He could have the entire Resistance killed in seconds because of what you did. You've put **everyone** in danger!"

"Ben wouldn't-" Rey shook her head in denial.

Finn scoffed, "Ben? So what, you think by calling him by his first name he's changed? He is responsible for the deaths by the thousands, Rey! Thousands! How could you do this? How could you betray us like this?"

Finn stepped closer to her; the disgust and disappointment in his eyes absolutely killing her. Rey tried to back away, all she wanted was to crawl in a hole and die, "He's changed-"

"No! He hasn't! And you just ruined everything for that piece of shit! I- I have to..." Finn was heartbroken by her betrayal. Not knowing what else to do, Finn took his blaster from his holster and pointed it at Rey, "I have to take you in, Rey. You have to tell them what you've done."

_No... No. No. No. No._ Rey couldn't be taken away. She had to get back to the Falcon. She had to get back to Ben and get him to safety. He wasn't a monster anymore. She made him a promise...

"Finn, please..." Rey sobbed.

Finn shook his head no, "I have to, Rey, I have t-"

Before he could finish his sentence there was a shadow from the forest that caught her eye. It rushed out from the bushes and clashed with Finn, sending both him and whoever else flying. Just from their size alone, Rey knew who it was before she even saw a face.

"Ben!" Rey screamed in fear.

No longer in his cloak, Ben jumped up from the floor and rushed over to Rey. His shaky hands cupping her face, "Did he hurt you?" Rey shook her head no, "We need to leave before they find out-" Ben turned to walk back the way he came taking a few steps before realizing he wasn't behind her. Turning back he could see the decision was tearing her apart. "Rey," Ben held his bare hand out to her like he had done many times before. Except, this time it was different. He was different, "Join me."

They could hear Finn coughing from the ground, trying to rise up through the hurt of Ben clashing with him, "No!" He yelled weakly. "Rey!"

Ben took another step closer to her, his voice begging for her, "Please."

Rey looked between the two men. One of which her closest friend. The reason she got off that desert wasteland she wasted so many years calling home. Finn meant so much to her, but Ben... She couldn't deny the pull his force had on her. Not anymore.

Finn's screaming voice faded in the distance as Rey reached her hang out. Without a word, Rey took Ben's hand and his eyes looked shocked for a moment. She had denied him so many times as Kylo Ren but this time she wouldn't be join _him_; she'd be joining Ben. He tugged her along back to the Falcon as quickly as their feet would take them. They could barely hear the words Finn yelled to them as they disappeared into the forest. This time, they would be together. Where Ben Solo led, Rey of Nowhere would follow.


	5. Chapter 5

_Morning Y'all  
__SOOOOOO last night I was asked in my comments how I felt about TROS: and honestly, I wasn't mad until the end lol. When I left the theater the first night I saw the movie I really thought I was okay with it. Then I started too much about all the plot holes and other nonsense... and noooooow I'm triggered lol_

_Mainly about Ben... mostly about Ben... We see you, Disney..._

* * *

Rey, Ben, and Chewbacca barely escaped with their lives that night. Rey and Chewie avoided shooting back at the rest of the Resistance as they made their escape and jumped to light speed. After wandering in space for a couple of hours, they decided the best place to hide was the place where no one else who think to look for them. The one place both Rey and Ben agreed upon: Tatooine.

The poor desert planet was the starting place of both Anakin and Luke Skywalker's journeys. They both hoped by spending some time there it would be easier to find the next step of their lives would be. That; here in the home of Ben's ancestors, he would find all the answers he'd need to bring balance to the force.

But that was 3 months ago.

They spent the first month training hard to hone in on their Jedi skills. Ben taught Rey everything he knew. About the light and the dark. He wanted her to be prepared for anything. So if temptation came for her, she would know it's face and be able to walk away. When Ben wasn't training Rey, he was meditating. He hoped to reach out to someone, anyone. His uncle, his grandfather... his mother. Every day he would call for them, and every day no one would answer.

Rey, however, spent her free days enjoying the simple life that being on the run gave them. It took time to make Skywalker Ranch home, but eventually, it became a place she was happy to find herself in. Every day she could feel a strong presence in the force as she did her daily routines. All Rey hoped for was they understood all the choices they had made so far, and that the Skywalker's of old would be proud of them.

She did save Ben Solo from the Dark Side, after all.

Rey would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that this version of Ben could make her heart skip a beat. The more she got to spend time with Ben, the more she could see how much like his family he really was. Ben was snarky and confident like his father but also caring and headstrong like his mother. It was such a drastic change from who he was as Kylo Ren: and even though it was clear that both personalities were two sides of the same coin, Rey knew in her heart he would never be that man again. Kylo Ren would stay dead, for good.

"I'm going into town, you need anything?" Rey asked as she packed her bag with goods to trade with. Rey made a living working in a shop fixing old droids for people. It gave her a purpose to fix things again.

Ben shook his head from where he meditated in the middle of the garden, lifted up into the air with the force. It was hard to make things grow in a barren place, but he had managed to make it happen. Tired of calling out for people who would not answer, Ben, flipped down from the sky and walked over to Rey, "I thought we were going exploring today?"

"We will, but after I come back," Rey could see Ben staring at her, and knew something was on his mind, "What?"

"You're checking up on them again, aren't you?" Ben crossed his bare arms across his chest. Rey couldn't help but admire the sleeveless black shirt he wore, and for a moment she thanked the maker they settled on a hot planet.

She smiled faintly, "Just because you and I vanished doesn't mean there isn't still a war going on."

"The Resistance will find a way," Ben told Rey with a calm tone, "It's not like Supreme Leader Hux is much of a threat."

Yup. Supreme Leader Armitage Hux. After Ben vanished, Hux declared him a traitor to the First Order and put a bounty on his head. Luckily for them, it was Kylo Ren the galaxy was looking for, not Ben Solo.

On the other side of the spectrum, Poe Dameron now ran the Resistance as it's General. It was the role Leia was always training him for, so it made sense when Rey learned he was now in charge. It also made her wonder if he was also the reason no one had found them yet. Maybe Poe knew, how much Leia loved her son...

"Rey?" Ben was now touching her arm, "Where are you?"

She shook the thoughts from her head and smiled, "I'm here."

There was something there between them. A spark of energy in the force that grew large when they were near each other, that exploded when they touched. Yet, neither of them would act on these feelings. Ben knew Rey wasn't ready, not as long as the galaxy was in danger.

"If you need anything while your gone..." Ben started to say.

"Don't worry," Rey smiled as she turned to walk away, "I'll be fine."

* * *

The good times that could be felt throughout the cantina was in full swing by the time Rey got there. It was owned by Cado Mux, a goofy-looking fellow with a bad eye who mixed good drinks. Most of the people in Mos Espa loved coming here to rewind after a hard day of work, and Rey and Ben both knew that even after all this time Tatooine was Hutt territory. Which meant both the First Order and the Resistance would not meddle in the way the Hutt's did things here, and they could both hide on this planet in peace.

"Solo! Cado called out for her from over the bar counter. Rey smirked, she had been going by the name Rey Solo since she arrived on Tatooine. People would ask her what her family name was when she tried to find work and saying Solo made more sense than saying Rey of Nowhere. Cado spoke to her in Huttese as she approached the bar "Just in time, Solo! The service droids are bugging out again."

"The maintenance list I gave you was small, Cado," Rey's Huttese was shitty but after three months she could at least sort of speak the language, "You're just lazy."

"I just like seeing your face," Cado smiled.

Rey looked around, "How's my booth?"

"I put flowers on them for you, today," Cado nodded his head forward to a private booth not far from them, "Your favorites: roses."

Rey nodded thank you and headed to the curtained-off both, being careful not to move the curtain too much as she entered. Sitting inside was Rose, "Your late."

"I had to make sure Ben wouldn't try to connect with me while I was gone," Rey told her. He knew she checked up on things from time to time, but had no idea that it was through someone with the Resistance. "How are things?"

Rose side as she pasted Rey a small data chip, "Quiet, scary enough. The First Order has seemed to calm down a bit and hasn't been so quick to attack," She sighed as Rey went over the notes from the chip, "General Poe thinks they are planning something big."

"And where does the General think you are now," Rey asked her as she kept reading.

"Meeting with a spy," Rose smiled through her words, Rey's head lifting up to see it, "Whatever it is you're doing out here, Rey, I know it's worth it. I can just... Feel it."

"I'm glad _you_ can," Rey sighed, "I don't know what it is me and Ben are looking for, but the force... There's been a change." Rey gulped, even now without trying to feel this new presence in the force it was: she could feel something has changed, "Something big _i__s _coming."

There was a moment of silence between them before Rose opened her mouth again, "You haven't asked yet..."

"I figured I'd save my breath," Rey replied knowing exactly what Rose was going on about, "He hates me still. I don't think time will change that."

"It might," Rose told him, "He tries not to show it but he regrets pushing you away... Both of you."

Rey smiled faintly, she wouldn't think about the past any longer, "You should get going."

Rose got up to leave, picking up a mask to cover her face. Before she was completely gone, she turned back one more time, "May the Force be with you, Rey."

* * *

"You're going to have to lift it higher, Chewie," Ben told the Wookie as he tried his best to try fit hit hand between the roof of the Ranch and compartment hidden right beneath it. He had heard a faint hum while meditating a couples day back and was hoping to get to find it before Rey got back. Chewbacca growled in frustration as he held the roof up, he was tired of holding the roof for Ben, "I know! I almost got it..."

Rey walked down the stairs and into the roofed garden where Ben and Chewbacca seemed to be struggling, "I got it Chewie," Rey concentrated carefully on lifting the roof for Ben, who was able to reach his hand into the compartment and pull out a little chest.

As Ben and Chewie fell to the floor, both look exhausted. Chewie groaned angrily at Rey, and Ben added into what he said, "He's right. What _did take_ you so long?"

"Cado likes breaking his droids," Rey smirked, "I think he does it just to get me to visit.

Ben had an annoyed look on his face as he thought of that bug-eyed bartender hitting on Rey, "Right. Well while you were out fixing 'broken' droids, I think I found what I've been looking for." He brought the little chest over to the nearest table and set it down so that he, Rey, and Chewie could all witness what was inside.

Slowly, Ben opened the chest to reveal what was inside. Rey's heart skipped a beat, and without being told she already knew exactly what it was, "That's-"

Ben lifted the lightsaber from the box, "Darth Vader's lightsaber."

"How did it get here?" Rey asked as she watched Ben inspect the lightsaber.

"I-" Ben glanced her way, "I have no idea..."


	6. Chapter 6

_Rewatched TROS this morning. Still mad about Ben Solo -_-_

* * *

On impulse, Ben ignited his grandfather's lightsaber only to find that something about it was strangely peculiar. Instead of being the blood-red color most Sith lightsabers were known for, this lightsaber seemed to be fading in color.

"Is- Is that what it's supposed to look like?" Rey asked Ben, who's eyes were glued on the saber.

"No," Ben stepped away from them, with the lightsaber in hand, and started to wave it around, "It's not." It had been quite some time since he had held a saber in his hand and this; an extraordinarily powerful feeling saber, was once his grandfather's. The feeling it brought him was almost intoxicating. It brought forth dark thoughts to the forefront of Ben's mind.

Rey could feel the darkness rearing its ugly head again, and it made her nervous, "Ben, put the lightsaber down." He wasn't listening to her, only to the sound, Vader's saber made when he moved it from side to side. The pull was tempting, she could see it in his eyes, "Ben?" Still nothing, it made her anxious, "Ben!"

Since calling to him wouldn't get his attention Rey resorted to taking the lightsaber from him, pulling away with the force and throwing it into a wall. The sound of the lightsaber crashing into the wall finally broke Ben from his trance, and when he looked at Rey he could see how scared she was, "Rey..."

She said nothing as she left the room, and Ben chased after her. Once they were gone, Chewie grabbed a cloth from nearby and used it to pick the lightsaber up and put it back into its box.

He found her outside trying to calm herself down and catch her breath. He could feel sadness and frustration. Ben knew he fell too easily back into the darkness and it scared him just as bad as it scared Rey. He tried to reach out to her but she immediately moved away from his hand, "I'm sorry."

She was in tears now, "I gave up... everything, to be here with you," Rey gritted her word's through her teeth as she tried hard to contain herself, "You can't go back now, I won't let it take you!"

"Let it?" Ben sighed knowing exactly what she meant, "The Darkness..."

Rey started to poke her fingers at his chest rather harshly, "We've given up too much! You belong to the light now!" She let out a sob and Ben pulled her into his arms. Her final words she muffled into his shirt, "You belong to me."

His one arm held her waist close to him, and with the other his hand rested on her head, rubbing his thumb into her temple, "You know I do... everything I am belongs to you, now, Rey... I promise." She moved back from him so she could see Ben's face, who moved his hand from her head to her cheek. He had the softest smile on his face. _Anything for my girl_ he told her once, "Come on, I owe you an adventure."

* * *

They were deep into the deserts of Tatooine. Rey had no idea where Ben was leading her, but being out there alone with him after the morning they had was freeing. Being with Ben; far away from the problems of the rest of the Galaxy, was freeing. She knew in her heart that it wouldn't last, but these moments wouldn't last forever but she would try her damnedest to make them last as long as she could.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" Rey asked as Ben stopped to analyze his surroundings.

Ben wasn't using a map of any sort, only hoping the force would guide him to the location he was looking for, "Did my mother ever tell you where my namesake came from?"

"Your first name?" Rey thought back, but she couldn't recall any moments. Leia usually didn't talk much about her son, and she figured it was always just too painful, "No, she didn't."

Ben waited till Rey was at his side before he continued walking. They moved slowly, and in sync, their connection still strong even now when they were together. Everything they did, walking, breathing, thinking; it was always in unison, "When my mother was younger, during her first Rebellion, she sent a message here to Tatooine begging the help of an old friend of her late adoptive father: Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Why do I know that name?" Rey asked, not sure if her memories were hers or Ben's.

"Old Ben Kenobi was my Uncle first Master, as well as my grandfather's Master," he explained to her, "His connection and bond with my family runs deep into my grandfather's youth. So when my mother had her old child, a boy, she named him after the man who brought her and my Uncle together. Someone who loved this family with everything he was."

"I read in Luke's old texts that the Jedi of the last Republic were not allowed to love," Rey remembers reading about the Jedi and all their rules in one of the texts she took from Luke's Ahch-To.

Ben smirked, "There is no emotion; there is peace, there is no ignorance; there is knowledge," Rey knew the words he repeated perfectly. It was the Jedi code, "There is no passion, there is serenity, there is no death; there is the Force."

Rey stopped for a moment, thinking hard about what the code all meant, "And love?"

"The old Jedi believed that Love could be a path to the Dark Side," Ben turned to face her fully. There was a softness in his face as he talked about love, "Which; in the case of my grandfather, they were right."

"What happened to Vader?" Rey asked, her curiosity peaked.

Ben sighed, "He failed at love," his answer was vague but also the absolute truth, "And he lost everything." Rey could feel the sadness in his heart. Ben could relate to the feeling of losing everything, and so could Rey. It was something that held them together now more than ever.

_You're not alone..._

"Neither are you," Ben replied to the memory in their minds. His hand reaching out to touch her face. This time when Ben reached out for, she did not back away, "I know nothing about this is ideal..."

"If we went back to the Resistance they'd shoot you on sight," Rey reminded him, "This is how we help. How we redeem everything we've done."

"But you've done nothing," His eyes were sad as he spoke, "They are my crimes, and I will make things right."

Rey smiled softly, "I know you will." For a split second, she thought about kissing him. About what it would feel like to have his lips all over her; his hands holding her tight, but the moment passed when a wave of Darkness overcame them. It was something in the Force, soulless and inhuman. The feeling sent a chill down both of their spines and made them forget about all the things that were on their minds.

"I felt it too," Ben look back the way they came, "Something is coming..."

Rey let Ben go and walked a few steps forward, "The Ranch," a pain in her chest made her heart pound and her breath scarce, "Chewie!" Rey ran back as fast as her feet could take her to the Ranch, Ben not far behind.

* * *

They could see a thick, black cloud of smoke rising in the sky before they could even see the Ranch and Reys heart sunk deeper into her chest. Her breathing became rapid as the Ranch came into view over the horizon, and her fears became validated. The smell of smoke steeped into her nose as her eyes stared at the ever-growing fire before her.

Skywalker Ranch was gone.

"**Chewie**!" Rey's voice screeched across the desert as she searched for Chewbacca's life force in the air, but it was gone. He was gone.

Ben's feet skidded in the sand as he arrived at her side, an overbearing feeling of rage and sadness overcoming him and pouring over into her. "No… no!" Ben yell sounds almost like Kylo Ren in nature. He was being pulled back into that dark place, but Rey was too distraught to calm him this time.

From behind the smoke cloud, a First Order transport took to the sky. Rey was the first to spot it, rushing out towards the fire in order to reach it. Seeing it was too far gone, Rey reached out to the ship with one hand and tried to harness all the Force inside her that. With all her might Rey tried to pull the ship back.

They wouldn't get away with this, she wouldn't let them.

It took Ben a few moments before he could snap out of his blind rage. He didn't even realize that in his hate, he had used the Force to call his grandfather's lightsaber to his side. Staring at the saber now, he was disappointed in himself. This wouldn't be him, not anymore. Ben tried to calm himself down the best he could, but he could still feel the hate lingering in him.

It only took him a moment to realize the hate wasn't him.

His head rose to see Rey in the middle of the desert using this dark Force inside her to pull down the ship. The power she used was spiteful and toxic, and he could feel the hate poisoning the good in her, "Rey!" Ben ran down to her side, dropping the saber as he left.

She could faintly hear Ben in the distance, but his voice was being blocked out by something else. An overwhelming amount of evil, that seemed to be attempting to push her over the edge and force her hand. It fed off of all her sadness and suffering in her chest. It wanted her to pull the ship down. To kill each and every person who had a hand in Chewies death. Rey was slipping. It felt _wrong_ but at the same time absolutely incredible. The power she was being fed was intoxicating, and she wanted more. She wanted-

"**Rey!**" Ben's voice screamed out as he lifted his hand in the air, using the force to release her grip from the transport but with her other hand, she blocked his power. She screamed out in agony, using everything she had in her until suddenly from the tips of her fingers came lighting. It rose into the air, frying the ship and blasting it out of the sky.

It also lashed out and struck Ben, sending his body flying back.

Rey panted as she looked back at the transport debris falling from the sky, then again to Ben. It took a few minutes to realize he wasn't going to get up, and immediately regret sunk in, "Ben?" Her voice whispered. There was no reply, "Ben?!" Her tone because more sacred and frantic. It took Rey a second to get her feet to move and after a moment or two, she went from slowly walking to running. When she reached his body, Rey collapsed to her knees, "Ben?!" He was breathing, but only barely. She could feel the tears building up as she tried to lift him into her arms, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry," her apology came out almost inaudibly. Rey didn't know what to do, the Ranch was destroyed and the Falcon was… inaccessible without Ben. So, now out of options, Rey sat there and cried.

_Rey._

"Ben?" Rey lifted his head with her hand, "Hold on, I'm going to figure something out!"

_Go to Cado_, his voice whispered in her mind, _Have him contact Rose. Get the Resistance here._

"No! They won't save you," Rey explained to him, "They'll leave you here to die!" A little delayed in his words she took a moment to realize he said Rose's name, "You knew?"

_I shouldn't have stolen you away from them_, Ben replied, _They're your family_.

"You're my family" Rey cried, desperate to suck back her tears.

"Go, Rey…" Ben's voice croaked as his hand reached up to wipe her face of her face, "I'm not dead yet."


	7. Chapter 7

_the chapters are getting longer and I'm loving more and more where this story is taking us. Hope you are too_

* * *

It takes Rey quite a bit to get into town, but she does it. Tired and panting she rushes down to the Cantina where she finds Cado behind the bar cleaning glasses.

"Cado!" She calls out to the bartender and she stumbles tiredly up to the bar.

He can see something's wrong with her, "Solo? You run a race or something? What's wrong with you?"

"Call... Call them in," Rey panted as she tried to catch her breath.

Cado raised a brow, "Them?" Rey said nothing and instead shot a glance at the bartender instead, "Ah, _them_, are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes," Rey replied, "The Ranch has been compromised."

* * *

Lucky for Rey, Cado lent her a speeder and it was much easier getting back to the remnants of Skywalker Ranch. By the time she returned everything has burned to the ground. 3 months of hard labor and love, and it was all gone in less than a couple of hours. It quite honestly broke her heart. This place was home, she could've spent forever here.

She could've made a home here.

She found Ben hidden in the shade by some rubble, still holding on. "You shouldn't have moved," Rey told him as she brought him some water. She slowly poured it into his mouth, letting him get a long drink.

_It's the desert, Rey_, He was tired but still holding on, _I can't be laying out there otherwise I'd really die_. Ben chuckled and coughed, trying to stay light-hearted, but Rey's expression wasn't having his cocky banter, "I'm- I'm not going to die."

"I know you won't," Rey knew he was in pain, no matter how much he tried to hide it. She went to reach for his hand, and hold it for comfort, but then she noticed a new scar that spread from his fingertips up. It was from her, she knew it was.

Upon noticing the scar, Rey started to cry. The sob creeped out of her and didn't stop for a moment. Ben reached out to hold her cheek with the same hand, "Hey," his weak voice was calm and comforting, regardless of the pain he was in, "Look at me, I'm alright... okay?"

"I could have killed you," Rey cried into his hand.

He pulled her closer by her neck, and rested his forehead against hers, "I'm not dead yet," with his words the could hear the sounds of several ships pulling in. It was the Resistance. "But I might be after this."

Rey turned around to watch the ships land, "Was this a bad idea?"

Ben sat up to get a better look, grunting in pain as he did so, "I hope not."

When the first Resistance transport landed and the doors fell open, it was Rose who was the first to touch foot on Tatooine. She took in the burning Ranch first, before heading over to Rey and Ben, "Rey?!"

Rey stood to greet her, her friend offering her a hug as she closed in, "Thank you for coming." She whispered in Rose's ear.

"I know it probably wasn't an easy choice," Rose looked past Rey and saw Ben. She stared for a moment, her eyes examining the former Supreme Leader, "So that's him?"

"His name is Ben," Rey explained as she looked back, "Ben Solo."

"Rey?" A voice called out from the transport. It was familiar and comforting. She looked back to find Poe had come to her aid as well.

"Poe?" Rey's head snapped back, the now General rushed to her side and hugged her on sight. They always kind of clashed, but the appreciation of each other ran deep, "You're okay!"

Rey sniffled back her tears and nodded, "I am."

"And Chewie?" Poe asked her. Rey said nothing, her heart still aching from his loss. Poe inhaled and bit his bottom lip to keep himself from tearing up, "I'm sorry."

"He'd be alive if I left him with you," Rey answered.

Poe shook his head no, "That Wookie would never leave your side, he loved you too much." Poe's eyes finally glanced passed her and at the hurt stranger not far from them. "Kylo Ren?"

Ben shook his head no, "Ben Solo."

"Is that right?" Poe slowly made his way over to Ben, getting down on a knee to inspect him. "Well," Poe smirked, "You sure don't look like a Supreme Leader."

"That's 'cause I'm not," Ben told him as he coughed, "not anymore."

"Good," Poe got up to his feet and turned back to Rey, "I have no problem taking you two back, but-"

"But?" Rey questioned.

Poe sighed, "He comes in cuffs, or not at all."

"Poe-" Rose started to cut in.

"He's wounded!" Rey argued, "He could barely move and you want to cuff him? He's not some animal-"

"Rey," Ben's voice called out with a cough, "It's fine."

"That's not fair," Rey was tearing up again. She was angry and frustrated, as well as immensely tired, "You've changed."

"But I still killed people," Ben lifted up both his hands as best as he could. They shook in the air, unsteady and restless, "No one will trust me without them."

Poe whistled and two other Resistance members came from the ship, one with cuffs and the other wish a makeshift stretcher. The man with the cuffs handed them off to Poe, who proceeded to put them on Ben's wrists, "Just so you know," he sighed as he finished cutting Ben, "It doesn't feel good cuffing Leia's son."

"Well," Ben sighed somberly, "I was a bad son."

Poe had no reply but felt for his response. He glanced at both his boys, then nodded, giving them the okay to lift him, "This one's suffered enough, so be careful with him."

* * *

Rey quite honestly did not expect to ever return to Ajan Kloss ever again. She thought she'd live forever like a wandering outcast with her ragtag crew, never staying in one place for too long in fear of getting caught. Instead, she found herself back here where; surprisingly enough, the Resistance base still stood.

"You didn't move," Rey remarked out loud so Poe could hear her.

Poe smirked, "We were going to, but after several hours, and then days, we realized that maybe your buddy /didn't/ rat us out. No one knows we're here still."

"I made sure he didn't know were 'here' was until we landed," Rey explained to him, "I know what I did was incredibly risky, but I did try to play it safe."

"So..."

"So?"

"Was he worth it?" Poe glanced at Rey, who was looking down. There was nothing really there to focus on that he could see.

But for Rey, before her laid Ben. He was still recovering in the healing pod, and Rey could feel his energy returning to him. She reached out to hold his hand, squeezing it tight as she smiled, "He was."

"Rey, I just gotta- before we land..." Poe seemed to be struggling to find his words.

Rey turned her head slightly to look at Poe, she could feel the anxiousness in his Force, "Yes?"

"I just-" Poe bit his lip and breathed in, sighing outwards before he spoke, "Things have changed, a lot, since you were last here. So just- don't expect a warm welcome, okay?"

"I didn't think I'd get one," Rey answered with a somber look on her face.

"Also," Poe sighed even harder as the shipped landed, "I should warn you about Finn..."

Rey's eyebrows scrunched in, confused and intrigued, "What about him?"

"He's changed, a lot-" The shaking of the ship landing cut Poe, off. There was a hissing sound as the main hatch fell open, "You'll see." Rey cut her connection with Ben and followed Poe out of the transport. As he said, the people were still hurt and there was no one there to greet her.

At least, no human.

"Master Rey!" C3PO called out cheerfully, "You've returned!"

"Hello Threepio," Rey smiled. Seconds later she could hear happy beeps as BB-8 rolled her way, "BB-8!" Rey rubbed the droids sides the way you would a dog. She was so pleased to see him, "I've missed you too!" He beeped at her again, and Rey understood it as mix emotions, "I'm sorry I went away like that, I truly am."

"Not gonna point any fingers, but a certain droid missed you so much he almost got me killed," Poe told her in a playfully annoyed voice, BB-8 rolling back with a few guilty beeps, "Twice!"

The droid continued his beeping making Rey and Poe chuckle, "Well I missed everyone just as much," Rey turned to Poe, her smile fading, "I shouldn't have left."

"No, you shouldn't," Poe replied bluntly, but his smile held, "But next time you do, take the emotionally unstable droid with you, huh?"

Rey nodded and smiled until her eyes caught Poe's men moving Ben from the transport. "Where are they taking him?"

"We set up a private room in our little makeshift med bay for him. Gonna have someone stand watch too, ya know," Poe's eyes glanced at Rey, "Just in case."

"He's not going to hurt anyone," Rey felt like a broken record, but she was going to defend Ben's change even if it killed her, "He's-"

"I know, I know, but I'm not doing my job if I don't," Poe told Rey, "Besides, it's not just _us_ from him I'm trying to protect. Who knows what people might try once they realize who he.. was."

"If you don't trust him, why did you come for us?" Rey finally asked, "You could've left us in Tatooine to die if you really wanted. It's not like you really need us to defeat Hux-"

Poe glanced at Rey with a confused look, "You don't know, do you?"

Rey felt his worry, and it made her nervous, "Know what?"

* * *

"Tell me one more time," Ben groaned as he sat up from his bed. He had healed as best as he could, but he was still very tired from the blast Rey hit him with.

"Palpatine is alive," Poe said the words with gritted teeth and disgust in his mouth, "We've known for a least the last month."

Rey looked at Rose, who was chewing on her thumb, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged, embarrassment and disappointed spreading across her face, "I thought you knew. That the Force told you.."

"That's _not_ how the Force works," Ben rolled his eyes. He was heated, anxious and nervous. Rey could feel everything bubbling up inside him, "I don 't get it… He was on the Death Star when it exploded..."

"We know," Poe replied.

Ben huffed as he finally got himself to the edge of the bed, "So how in the galaxy is he back?"

Poe shrugged, throwing a hand in the air, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Ben looked up at Rey, concentrating on her face, _We should've known_.

_The disturbance..._

Poe looked back and forth between the two of them and could see the wheels turning in their heads, "Okay, I'm missing something. Just say it."

Rey glanced at Ben, who nodded okay, then back to Poe, "We did... feel something."

"A darkness; clouding the Force like a bad omen" Ben explained, "I've been trying to meditate and reach out to the Jedi's of Old to ask what it means but... no-one replies."

"Maybe they don't want to talk to you," All heads shot forward to the sound of a new voice in the room. What the found was Finn. Rey was relieved to find him okay until she noticed something unique hanging from his belt.

"Where did you get that?" Ben's voice almost growled at him. He stood to his feet, now point at the object of his frustration, "Where-"

"Oh, this?" Finn removed the object from his belt and held it up in a defensive formation, "An old friend of yours led me to it." _A lightsaber._ Rey gasped softly as he ignited the saber and gripped it tighter, blue light illuminating the room. _Where in the galaxy did he find a saber..._


	8. Chapter 8

_I really like writing for Poe. He's such a fun character to write dialogue for and I feel like I kinda got his personality down._

_I love a snarky little Flyboy._

* * *

"That belongs to me," Ben snarled angrily, his eyes glued to the lightsaber in Finn's hands.

"Fine then, here, have it!" Finn lunged forward ready to strike Ben, but before he could make contact, Rey was there with Luke's lightsaber in hand, blocking Finn from hurting anyone.

"Finn, stop it!" Poe yelled in frustration.

"Why are you defending this monster?" Finn snapped at him.

Rey managed to defect his lightsaber and force push him a good distance from them, "Because he's not here to hurt anyone."

Finn scoffed, "Says you."

"Enough!" Poe screamed, "Finn go cool off," When he didn't immediately listen, Poe snapped again. "And that's an order!"

Finn unwilling lowered the lightsaber and turned it off, huffing as he stormed off. Rose followed behind him, hoping to calm her friend down.

Rey deactivated her lightsaber and turned to Poe and he could tell she was pissed, "You didn't tell me Finn had a lightsaber!"

"You didn't tell me about your secret connection to the _Prince of Darkness_ here, so I think we are even!" Poe argued back.

"So, where did he get it?" Ben asked him while trying to ignore Poe's snarky comment.

Poe flipped his hands in the air, "How the hell would I know," They could see that Poe was just as lost as they were, "He disappeared for a month after you left and then came back a bitter Jedi. Which, I see now is a theme for you people!"

"You don't get it," Ben bit his lip, huffing through the tiredness and frustration, "That lightsaber," They both looked at Ben only to find him absolute torn up, "It-It belonged to my mother..."

* * *

Rey tried to give everyone a little time to calm down and get their space. The air of the camp was thick with tension. Between Ben and Finn, and; well, Ben and just about everyone. Alone in her own quarters, Rey tried to examine all her choices over the past couple of months and try to figure out how worth it all was.

Alas, Rey knows she can never fully be alone for long, and while she's trying to calm herself she hears the room go mute and Ben is suddenly sitting by her side.

"Of all the people," She could see Ben was still hooked on Finn's new Jedi abilities and Rey wasn't shocked in the slightest, "Why did they reach out to him and not us?"

Rey scoffed, trying to keep him from boiling over by trying to lighten the situation, "Maybe the Jedi of Old got a shitty sense of humor."

"I've been trying so hard for three months, and get nothing but radio silence, but the former Stormtrooper gets led right to my mothers' saber," He was so broken up by it all, which was very new for Ben, "What if they don't forgive me?"

Rey sighed, "I'm sure that's not true..."

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Ben covered his face with his bad hand, "You should've left me on Tatooine."

Rey turned to face Ben, gripping a hand onto the material at the end of his shirt, "I will never leave you." Her face was serious but her eyes started to gloss over. Ben could feel her hand shaking where it gripped his shirt.

"He wants me dead, Rey," Ben looked at her with these sad eyes that absolutely melted her heart, "I can feel it, that pure and strong hate lingering in the Force."

"If he wants you dead, he'll have to get through me first," Rey's response was so serious yet it made Ben chuckle, a soft smile forming on his face.

Ben removed Rey's hand from his shirt and intertwined her fingers with his, "Does he, now?"

"Yes," In need of his warmth, Rey rested her head on his shoulder, secretly admiring how large they were. Her words came out softly as if they weren't meant to come out at all, "You're mine, Ben Solo."

Ben placed a kiss on the top of Rey's head, "I know."

* * *

Though many people weren't happy about it, Rey was given permission to listen in on Poe's mission briefing. Ben, however, was told he needs to wait in his room; which of course in his mind meant bother Rey through their connection while she was trying to concentrate. It reminded her of a touch of the past when he was still only Kylo Ren; making the connection at times when he was bored and seeking her attention, except it seemed that _Ben_ was more of an impatient child and Rey found that to be the best part.

To make focusing even harder, Rey could also feel Finn constantly throwing her bad energy and dirty looks. He didn't trust her anymore, she could see it in his eyes.

Poe went on about the War, the First Order, and Palpatine. Apparently, there was a huge bounty on Kylo Ren's head, put up by the Supreme Leader himself, wanting him dead or alive. (but preferably alive.) Supreme Leader Hux really wanted to kill Ben himself. It also wasn't just Ben they wanted, there was a second bounty for 'The Last Jedi', the nameless Scavenger from Jakku who was wanted for the murder of Snoke as well a long list of other ridiculous reason.

"First Order wants me dead but doesn't even know my name? I'm hurt," Rey joked sarcastically under her breath.

"If Hux lays a single finger on you, I'll rip his hands from his wrists." Ben's reaction made Rey choke back a laugh.

"Alright back there, Rey?" Poe asked her without looking at her. He knew Rey and her Force buddy were probably acting up like a bunch of teenagers and tried not to put too much attention on it.

Rey cleared her throat, batting a chuckling Ben away in the same way you'd shoo a fly, "Yes, General."

"Now," Poe rolled his eyes as he continued with this briefing, "According to intel we've gotten from our spies, it seems that Palpatine has been hiding out on a planet named Exegol. The only problem is that our mystery planet isn't on any map... ever."

"Then how do we find it?" Snap called out from the crowd where he stood.

"We know our buddy Hugs has been known to travel there from time to time," Poe sighed, he seemed tired of chasing the First Order, "But we've had no luck tracking him after he jumps to light speed."

"What did he say?" Ben asked Rey, who was trying to concentrate on Poe.

_The Emperor is hiding on Exegol._

Ben jumped up from where he sat, "He's what!?"

Rey was now looking at Ben, feeling his tension rise through the force, "He's... He's on Exegol?"

"Hey, focus here people!" Poe yelled in Rey's direction, tired of her getting distracted.

"Tell that snarky piece of Banta shit I know what he needs to find Exegol," Ben hissed (his frustrations clearly not Rey), his finger pointed out in the direction he assumed Poe was standing in.

Ben started to walk away and Rey got up to follow him, "Wait, how would you know?"

"Rey?" Poe called out but she was already halfway gone, "Maker help me-" Annoyed, but still curious, Poe marched after Rey: Finn close behind. As the next person in the chain of command, Rose stood behind and finished up the mission briefing.

Rey led them back to Ben's quarters (holdings depending on who you ask), who was rummaging through the very few things they did bring back from Tatooine "Kriff-"

"Ben?" Rey entered his quarters to find it a complete mess, "What are you looking for?"

"The Jedi texts," Ben sighed, not finding what he was looking for, "I think they are back on Tatooine..."

"Didn't all your things burn on Tatooine?" Poe asked as he entered the quarters with Finn in tow.

Ben let out a frustrated sigh, "No, we didn't keep everything on the Ranch..."

"So where is- oh," Rey made a face of regret and guilt as the location of the texts popped into her mind.

"Oh? Oh, what?" Finn asked, not catching onto what the other two were talking about.

"We left the books on the Falcon," Rey explained, "For, you know, safekeeping."

Finn glanced between Rey and Ben, "And where is the Falcon now?"

"On Tatooine," Rey explained, "Where we left it."

Poe looked confused, "Sure about that? It wasn't there when we picked you up."

"Oh, it's there alright," Rey sighed, "We hid it..."

"You _hid_ the Millenium Falcon?" Finn basically yelled in disbelief, "How do you hide a ship so-"

"Ugly," Poe answered, only half-joking. He could see Rey glare at him, "Seriously though, that's one of the most well-known ships in the Galaxy, where would you hide that thing?"

"Under the sand," Ben explained calmly.

Finn and Poe looked at him with utter disbelief. Poe was the first to reply, "I don't believe you."

"It's true," Rey told them, "We hid it together deep under the sand so no one would see it." In her mind, a memory of Ben teaching her how to use that kind of power inside her started to play.

_"You need to concentrate," Ben told her as Rey sat on the ground, legs crossed in a meditating position and her fingertips dug into the sand. He sat next to her, coaching her into the task at hand. "Feel the Force in the planet around you; the life in the blowing wind, and the beaming suns." Rey exhaled softly, focused in on Ben's world. "Think of the Falcon, it's bones and walls. Use that feeling, the Force around us, to bring the ship down. And let it sink."_

_Her mind lingered on the Falcon. The way the ship made her feel, the energy it brought her, and the memories its walls held close. Of her experiences flying it with Chewie, and with Han. She let that feeling guide her power, and together with that and Ben's own Force, they sunk the Falcon deep beneath the desert._

_Rey's eyes opened the moment the ship was gone, "We did it," She couldn't help but smile as she glanced to her left to Ben, "You're not so bad... Master."_

_Ben rolled his eyes, "I am no Jedi Master," His focus drifted off into the desert, "but I guess my Uncle wasn't as bad of a teacher as I make him out to be."_

_"He'd be proud of you," Rey told Ben as they both rose to their feet to head back to the Ranch._

_Ben snorted, "I doubt that."_

"So you guys... used to the Force, to hide the Falcon under the desert?" Poe thought by repeating the words out loud they would make more sense.

They didn't.

"Look, you don't have to believe us, but if you want to get to Exegol," Ben took a deep breath, "You're going to have to trust me, and take us back to Tatooine."

"Nope," Finn shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, answering for Poe before he can say a word, "Not a chance."

"Finn," Rey's voice called out, pleading for him to play nice, "The only way we defeat the First Order and the Emperor is together. Where we all like it or not."

Finn looked at Poe, who was clearly weighing all his options in his head. He didn't like having to put all his trust in Ben, either, but at this point what other choice did they have, "Every moment we leave the First Order out there with Palpatine at their side, we increase our chances of losing the war," Poe sighed heavily as he rubbed his temple with his fingers, already disliking the words in his mouth before they even come out, "As much as my gut tells me no, I know that if Leia was here... She'd want me to trust you," Poe looked at Ben, "She'd want us to have hope,"

"You have no good reason to trust me," Ben explained, "But you trust Rey, I know you do," He glanced momentarily at Finn, then back at Poe, "If you don't trust me, trust in the fact that I will never betray her," His eyes found Rey, and her heart skipped a beat. Her lips unwilling curled up into a smile, "That much I can promise you."

There was a minute or two of heavy silence until Poe let out a heavy and aggravated sigh, "Oh I am so gonna regret this," He started for the door and then turned back to the rest of the group, "Let's go." He called out, waving them along.

"Are you serious?!" Finn and Ben called out at the same time, Finn's tone more angry while Ben was shocked.

"Today people, before the regret kicks in," Poe led his hand out and Rey left the room first, Ben following suit and Finn not far behind, "We got a planet to find."


	9. Chapter 9

_I hope everyone had a Happy New Year! Personally, the hype for 2020 is freaking REAL!_

* * *

"Are you sure this is wise, General?" Rose said watching as some of their troops packed up a transport vessel for Poe's next mission, "You're in charge now, you should stay here."

"It was my dumb idea to let _Kylo-Ben_ here on base, and also my dumb idea to follow his lead in finding the Emperor," Poe explained with a frustrated sigh. He was sure if Leia was still around, she'd demote him for all his shitty choices, "I need to make sure we follow through with this, because if things go wrong... it's my fault."

"We believe in you, Poe, you're going to make us proud," Rose smiled, "Leia, too."

"I hope so, otherwise I know she's coming back to haunt me," Poe joked as his mind drifted with thoughts of his former General. All he wanted was to make her proud, "As long as this mission doesn't kill me first." Rose shot him a glare and Poe threw his hands up, "Kidding!"

"Poe, everything ready?" Rey asked as she approached the ship, BB-8 tagging along with her.

"Ah, look, my two favorite traitors," Poe shot a glare at his droid, who beeped back at him defensively, "Yeah, we are just about ready to go."

"You can really stay here, we'll be fine without you," Rey tried to explain to him. _The Resistance really shouldn't be without a General_.

"But if I stood behind, I'll miss those two constantly at each other's throats," Poe snickered as he nodded his head at Finn and Ben in the distance. Poe wasn't a Force user whatsoever, but he knew bad tension when he saw it, "This is gonna be the best trip of my life."

Rey playfully smacked him over the shoulder as the two boys approached them. Finn said nothing as he carried his stuff into the ship. Ben, however, did stop to see how Rey was doing. _Is he talking about me?_

Rey smirked, _Poe? Never._

Without a word, Ben rolled his eyes and headed onto the ship. Rey and Poe shared a glance, a shit-eating grin on Poe's face, "Best. Trip. Ever." Poe followed Ben into the ship turning around to give Rey and Rose a thumbs up. He was definitely a special man, that Poe.

Rey shook her head, the idea of being stuck with these three childish men stick in her head. This would definitely be some trip, to say the least. She looked over at Rose who was looking very somber, "Please take care of them. This Resistance needs them," Rose put her attention on Rey, "We need all of you. Even Ben. Sure, he was Kylo Ren, but if he's on our side now then that's huge. Three Jedi on our side can change the whole course of this war."

"Don't worry Rose, I won't let anything happen to any of them," Rey leaned over and gave Rose a tight hug. She was a good friend, and who knows the next time she would see her again. Rey sniffled back any sad thoughts as she let Rose go, and headed for the ship.

She turned back one more time before closing the hatch, waving at Rose goodbye. Rose tried her damnedest not to cry, "May the Force be with all of you."

Rey smiled big as the hatch closed, sighing heavy once it was closed. She headed to the cockpit where she found Poe sitting alone readying the ship for takeoff, "We're ready to go."

"Perfect," Poe nodded to the copilot's seat, "Sit, I need a buddy."

Rey looked confused, "You sure?"

"Yeah, rather you than the other two geniuses back there," Poe chuckled as he started to pull away from the planet and Rey did as was told and sat down, "So I gotta ask... How did this all happen?"

Rey chuckled while she helped Poe prepare to exit orbit, "What part?"

"You and uh... Ben? Kylo Ren?" Poe scratched his head, "I'm still not really sure what I'm comfortable calling him."

Rey sighed, "Well, the connection started when he was still Kylo Ren, so you're technically not wrong," Rey thought back on how everything started, trying to put the pieces of her journey together in her mind, "The first time it happened was right after I found Luke. It was random and we had no control, but if either of us were even slightly on each other's mind, the other would appear."

Poe nodded, guiding the ship through space ass he listened to her story, "So how'd you end up on the Supremacy?"

Rey chuckled, "I took an escape pod from the Falcon."

"Wait- wait, you went there on purpose?" Poe shook his head as he turned to look at her.

"I had sensed the light in him, he was struggling so hard to keep it snuffed out," Rey couldn't help but smile, "But it was there, and I thought by going to Ben I could turn him to the light."

"So what happened?" Poe asked her.

"Snoke wanted Ben to kill me, in hopes that it would truly tether him to the Dark Side and would become a real Sith Lord," Rey explained glancing at Poe, "And he couldn't do it."

Poe could start to see where the story was going, "He killed Snoke."

Rey nodded, "And together we killed his knights, but when it came to turning to the light... He just… wasn't ready," She got a touch emotional thinking about this next part, "He wanted me to stay, join him and rule the galaxy together. To let all old things die... He offered me his hand, and I couldn't take it," Rey sniffled as she helped Poe prep for hyperspace, "I wanted so badly to help him, but not at the risk at you guys, and the Resistance. So, I said no."

"And you came back to us," Poe told her, "This whole time he's been in your head?"

"I did everything in my power to cut the connection after that and block him out, but sometimes he would seep through," Rey explained to him, "Most of the time it would be Kylo Ren taunting me, telling me he'd find me and that next time I wouldn't be able to resist him," Rey wiped any remnants of tearing up from her face, "but other times it would be Ben. The real man hiding behind the mask. If I was hungry he'd feed me, he'd.. lecture me on getting sleep," Rey chuckled, "One time he even saved me from hitting my head from an ugly fall while training, and that's when I knew..." Rey could feel the room shift and knew that Ben was now listening. His big hands resting gently on her shoulders as she finished up her story, "Ben Solo was still in there, and I would help him be free of his darkness. No matter the cost."

"That's why you went to him when Leia was dying," Poe could start to understand everything that was going on. Not completely, but he tried his best, "You hope you could turn him."

"I wasn't trying to turn Ben," Rey smiled as Ben's grip on her shoulder tightened, a reminder he was there, "I was trying to bring him home." Ben leaned down and gave Rey a kiss on the top of her head; impressed how well he could always comfort her.

"So..." Poe trailed off, "Would you say you, I don't know..."

Rey caught on to Poe's question immediately, "Oh- well that's..." Rey was blushing now. Ben was standing right behind her how could she answer that kind of question? "It's- complicated..."

"Is it?" Ben knew the question without hearing by the way her stomach turned and her heart rate increased, "Because it's not for me."

"Rey?" Poe and Rey both turned back to find Finn standing behind them. As Rey turned to face Finn, she could feel Ben's weight leave her side.

She would have to deal with Ben later and Finn now, "Yes?"

"Can we talk?" Finn's face was serious, and it was hard to get a read on what he was feeling.

Rey looked at Poe, who waved her on, "Go ahead, we'll be out here for a while."

* * *

Ben sighed as he cut the connection. He didn't understand what was so complicated about Poe's question. He couldn't hear the General's side of the conversation they were having but just by the sheer emotion Rey was letting off Ben new exactly Poe was trying to figure out. It was the same thing that Ben had been trying to figure out since their three months stay on Tatooine.

Was Rey in love with Ben?

The question itself drove him absolutely mad, but not in a dark and evil kind of way. Instead, he felt more like an impatient child. Ben knew she felt something, that's why he could feel her talking about him. She opened up the connection mid-conversation without thinking about it, almost as if her subconscious was trying to trick her into telling Ben now she really felt. He had asked her before, plenty of times, but her answer was always the same:

_"I can't... not until the war is over."_

Ben wondered what she was waiting for. He didn't understand why she needed to wait, but he would most certainly not push her.

The door to his room hissed and slid open as an unexpected visitor entered, "Master Ben, it's so good to see you."

Ben sighed at the sight of CP-30. It had been a long time since he had seen this old droid, and he definitely didn't expect to run into him on this ship, "I didn't realize you joined us."

"Of course I did! What if the General needs my help while on this most important of missions," Threepio explained, "Who knows when you might need a droid of my talents."

Ben glared at the droid and then rolled his eyes, "Right..." Not in the mood to catch up with the droid, Ben left the room.

Unfortunately, Threepio follows, "You know, the last time I saw you your mother and I were waving you off as you left to train with Master Luke! I can't believe how long it's been..."

"Twenty years," Ben reminded the droid and himself as he walked along the halls of the ship.

"Ah yes," Threepio chimed, "So how did your training with Master Luke go?"

Ben stopped in his tracks and sighed, it has been a long time since that fateful day at the Jedi Temple but the memory of what he had done could still be played in his mind clear as day, "I wasn't a very good Padawan." He admitted.

"I'm sure your Uncle wouldn't agree," Threepio told him, "Your family wanted nothing more than for you to become a great Jedi just like your Uncle, and if you're here now I say you have done just that."

"I'm sure you're the only one who'd say that-" Ben cut his answer short, the sound of someone talking in the other room distracting him. There was a strange feeling in his gut that Ben needed to invest, "Excuse me." Ben snuck off through the halls until he found what he was looking for.

It was Rey and she was talking to the former Stormtrooper FN-2187, or Finn as he now called himself. From the sounds of their conversation and a weird feeling in Ben's chest, he was sure was being caused by Rey, Ben could only assume that they were talking about him.

"Master Luke told me not to trust Kylo Ren," He could hear Finn tell Rey, "There is too much darkness in him. If we aren't careful he will ruin anything."

"That's not true," Rey argued, "Kylo Ren is dead, and Ben Solo will never betray us."

"No, he won't betray you! You really think he won't kill the rest of us if he gets the chance!" Finn snapped back, "He still has the darkness plaguing his mind! I know you could sense it no matter how much you pretend not to! It's only a matter of time until he snaps again!"

"Snoke was the reason Ben Solo fell to the Dark Side and he's dead! There is no one left to torture him into changing back!" Rey was trying to keep quiet but Ben could sense the anger in her voice.

"What about Palpatine?" Finn added.

Rey huffed, "What about him?"

"All it takes is for Palpatine to realize who he is and-" Finn was cut off by a slap to the face.

Rey got in Finn's face, and Ben could feel an overwhelming dark cloud form around her. A darkness similar to the one being felt before she shocked Ben on Tatooine, "Ben Solo will _not_ turn!"

The Darkness in Rey was enough to make Ben come out of hiding and stop the conversation from continuing, "Rey," his voice called out to her softly, "Everything alright?"

Before Rey could reply the whole ship started to jerk sending everyone to their knees. The three of them looked around trying to figure out what exactly it was that shook them. It took a moment for the three of them to rise, but the moment they did they could all sense something.

A disturbance, strong and dangerous, lingering in the force.

"Poe!" Rey yelled as she ran off, and Finn following after her as she headed to the cockpit. When they finally reached their destination the group found themself no longer in hyperspace. In front of them was Tatooine as well as a small fleet of First Order cruises and one Starkiller leading the way, "Oh sh-"

"Rey, I'm gonna need some help getting us on that damn desert," Poe yelled as he frantically hit buttons and prepared the shuttle to fly past an army. Rey jumped into the copilots' seat and the ship jerked, Poe trying to keep them out of the line of fire. Finn stumbled into a free seat and Ben gripped hard onto the backing of Rey's chair to maintain balance. TIE Fighters had come out of the larger ships in order to chase them through space, but Poe and Rey were good pilots and did there best to get them to Tatooine's Orbit.

The funny thing was, no one was shooting at them only following them.

"Why haven't they shot us down?" Finn asked as he continued to get jerked back and forth in his seat.

Rey grunted as she steered the ship into a hard left, avoiding another TIE, " Well didn't someone say Hux wanted us alive?"

"Yeah but this is a little ridiculous!" Finn yelled back, feeling a touch sick from the jerking.

Poe noticed a clear path to the planet's atmosphere and headed for it. The ship shaking violently as they started to descend on Tatooine. Rey was nervous, they looked like they were going to crash into the desert, "Poe!"

"I got it!"

They were headed straight down and he wasn't pulling up.

"Poe!?" Finn yelled this time.

"I **got **it!"

Dangerously close now, the other three braced for impact, "**Dameron!**"

With the sound of Ben snarling his name, Poe pulled up and leveled the ship out, the sound of TIE's crashing into the ground behind them as they made their escape. Everyone was panting with hearts in their throats as they got away, all except for Poe who was laughing with the biggest grin on his face. He headed out to the far side of the desert where he knew Skywalker Ranch and landed the shuttle not that far from their destination.

He had a proud smirk on his face as the ship settled into the sand, the others not as happy with him as Poe was of himself. "Told you I got it."

Ben huffed trying to catch his breath, "Next time… I'm flying."


	10. Chapter 10

_Getting in a lot more visitors! Please don't hesitate to leave me feedback!_

* * *

Rey, Ben, and Finn were all quick to get off the transport vessel once they had safely landed on the desert. BB-8 rolling ahead, even the droids were happy to be off that ship.

"I hate deserts," Finn remarked as a wave of hot air hit his face, "Let's get the Falcon and get out of here."

Out on the horizon, not that far from where they stood, Ben and Rey could see the ruins of Skywalker Ranch and both of them sighed. Rey mourned for the loss of their potential home, and Ben wishing he had more time to live with Rey in peace. _Maybe after the war is over._

Threepio walked up next to the trio, "Goodness, Skywalker Ranch. I haven't been here since my time with Master Luke."

"Not much left here," Rey sighed, "We should be quick."

"Right," Ben answered. The two guys followed Rey's lead, down the dune and over to the ranch. It hadn't been too long since there were last there, but the desert already started to lay claim on the fallen home they left behind. Making their way past the remnants of the ranch, Ben and Rey stopped in front of a largely empty stretch of sand.

Poe had caught up with them at this point, standing not far behind, "So... now what?"

"Your going to wanna take a step back," Ben told her as he and Rey kneeled down on the sand. Ben rested his hands on his lap, while Rey dug her fingertips into the sand.

In her mind, she went back to the words he told her the last time. _"Feel the Force in the planet around you; the life in the blowing wind, and the beaming suns."_ She used that feeling, finding the Falcon deep beneath the sand.

_Ready?_

_Yes._

Ben and Rey exhaled in unison, using the Force to bring the Falcon up from beneath the sand. The ground rumbled as the ship lifted, making Poe and Finn stumble where they stood. Sand and stone alike floated into the air as the Force moved along Rey and Ben's bodies, and the energy their combined Force gave off could be felt in the desert air around them.

Rey continued to think of Ben's words. Of this place and what it meant to her. The home they had, the peace they got to enjoy even if it was only temporary. She had a home and a family here: her, Ben and... Chewie. At the thought of their lost friend, Rey could feel her grip on the Falcon slipping, _I'm losing it._

_Give me your hand._

Careful not to lose her concentration anymore than she had, Rey lifted her right and slowly and reached out for Ben. She could feel his fingertips slide down the palm of her hand and slip between the gaps of her own fingers before closing tightly. Rey held onto him tight, the connection deepening their hold on the Force as the Falcon rose faster to the surface. The ground started to shake more violently as the top of the Millenium Falcon peaked up out of the sand.

After only a few moments it was once again back on the desert surface, completely intact and exactly how they left it. The sand that once circled them settled back on the ground as Ben and Rey opened their eyes, not yet letting go of each other's hand.

"Okay I gotta admit," Poe spoke breaking the silence in the air, "That was pretty cool."

Rey was panting, trying to catch her breath from using all that energy inside of her. She looked at Ben, who wasn't breathing as heavy but who's eyes also focused on the Falcon. Rey's eyes glanced down to their hands still in each other's grip where she noticed Ben's thumb softly back and forth on hers. When he finally looked at her, there was a slight smile on his face.

"We shouldn't waste any more time," Finn's stern voice broke through, ruining the moment as he walked right in between Rey and Ben: causing them to let go of each other. Poe followed Finn's lead, as the two men headed to the Falcon.

Ben rose from the ground first, putting his hand out to help Rey up, "You lost your grip..." He remarked as she brushed the sand from her clothes.

Rey bit her lip, "I-I thought of Chewie," She sighed heavy as her mind pulled forward memories from their last day here, "I miss him."

"Me too," Ben told her, "But we gotta keep going. That's what he would've wanted."

Rey nodded, trying to suppress the emotions the memories brought forward. She followed Ben on to the Falcon, where Poe and Finn were trying to clean up and air out the dusty ship. BB-8 rolled around the ship as he explored the space with happy beeps, and Threepio did his best to stay out of the way.

"Maker, it's nasty in here," Poe complained as he held his shirt to his face, "You guys could have at _least_ cleaned before submerging the Falcon into the desert for three months."

"Something to consider next time I try to hide this _ugly_ thing," Ben replied, sending Poe glared as he made his way to a cabinet on the Falcon. He pulled the draws open to find a collection of old Jedi Texts that Rey had taken from Ahch-To before leaving Luke. Ben moved his fingers across the spines of each book until he found the one he was looking for. Pulling it out, he flipped through the pages, looking for something in particular, "My Uncle had been looking for something before he decided to take up his calling as an old, bitter man." When he finally found the page he was looking for Ben put the book down on a table nearby so that others can see, "This is what we need to find Palpatine."

"What is it?" Poe asked as he stared at the drawing on the page.

"A Sith Wayfinder," Rey answered as she examined the texts, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's said the Wayfinders contain the location of an ancient Sith temple. Snoke spoke of the place once," Ben bit his lip as he thought of the kriffing bastard that once ruined his life, "He said he'd bring me there... after I completed my training."

Finn tensed, his face stiffening up as he thought of the darkness around Ben, "I'm not sure if following you into the home of The Sith is a good idea."

"Got a better idea on how to get rid of Palpatine, because we're all ears," Ben snapped back.

"Ladies, please," Poe jumped into, his voice aggravated with the tension between the two men, "We got no choice! We are running out of time and this is our only option left!" Poe glared at Ben and Finn before sighing and putting his attention on Rey, "Where does it say we find one?"

"Master Luke's trail went cold on Pasaana," Rey explained as she flipped through the pages of the book, "If we start there maybe we can find something he missed."

"Alright then we go to Pasaana-" Ben stopped speaking abruptly, his face dropping and going pale.

Rey could feel him become full of worry, "Ben?"

"Dameron, start the Falcon, we need to leave," Ben spoke allowed as he rushed out of the Falcon. Rey chased after Ben as he left the ship, Finn not far behind.

In the sky a familiar flagship made Ben's heart race. Rey and Finn stood by his side, their gazes also focused on the sky above them, "Is that-"

"The Knights of Ren," Ben replied, "We need to leave."

"No, we need to fight them!" Finn argued, "Otherwise they'll be chasing us across the galaxy while we attempt to find the Wayfinder."

"They have been trained to use the force much longer than either of you have," Ben explained, "We need to run."

"We need to fight!" Finn snapped.

Rey put her hand on Ben's shoulder, "I don't think we get the choice," with her other hand she grabbed her lightsaber and held it tight, "Go help Poe ready the Falcon."

"No-"

"We don't have time to argue," She let Ben's shoulder go and ignited her saber, "We'll stall, just get the Falcon ready to go." Ben gritted his teeth, groaning as he turned back to help Poe.

Finn took out his saber and followed her to meet the Knights halfway. As the two Jedi approached the Knight of Ren, they held their lit lightsabers up in a defensive position. The Knights of Ren said nothing as they donned their weapons. Rey could feel the darkness that engulfed each of them reaching out to taunt her. This would be quite the fight, for sure.

Back in the Falcon's cockpit, Ben jumped into the Copilots chair and helped Poe ready the ship for take-off. Poe glanced at Ben momentarily as he frantically flipped switched and hit buttons, "Where are the others?"

"Giving us time," Ben replied. He could feel the fight going on outside, and he knew the Knights were strong. They had all trained under the Law of Ren together. He knew each of their unique fight styles, and how strong they were not only individually but together.

He knew Rey and Finn didn't have a chance.

There was a beeping noise coming from one of the monitors and Poe checked to see what it was, "Ah kriff- we got more incoming, Solo, tell the other two we gotta go!"

Ben hopped back out of his seat, and ran passed Threepio on his way out of the cockpit; almost knocking the droid over.

Poe could feel the worry making him break a sweat, "I got a bad feeling about this."

* * *

Ben wasn't lying to them about the power of the Knights of Ren.

Though they were technically not considered Sith, the Knights were all Force-Sensitive, so they knew how to better defend themselves against lightsaber-wielding Jedi. Rey was giving it her all in this fight, and she probably would've been fine if it wasn't a three against one.

Still, this wasn't like fighting the Snoke's Praetorian Guards. The Knights of Ren were smart and agile. More importantly, they trained with Kylo Ren: the Jedi Killer, and after a while of fighting, it was clear that none of the Knights aimed to kill. They wanted to bring Rey back to the First Order.

They wanted her alive.

"Rey! Finn!" Ben's voice yelled from the Falcon, "We have to go!"

Finn managed to Force push the two Knights that cornered him away and headed back for the Falcon. Thinking everyone was headed back, Ben headed back to the cockpit to help Poe get the Falcon off the ground.

Rey, however, was still caught up in her fight. She took another swing at the knight in front of her and missed. Rey wouldn't let the Knight's best her. She wouldn't let them take anyone away.

_No one_ could take Ben Solo from her.

In that moment it was like she had lost control of what she was doing. Rey's fighting style had become more violent and she felt as if a Force greater than her own had taken over. Similar to when she blew up the First Order ship, a darkness came over her and suddenly Rey was no longer herself.

As Finn started to board the ship and with a bad feeling in his chest, he turned around to see that Rey was still fighting the Knights of Ren.

"No, No, No, No-" Finn ran to the front of the ship, barging into the cockpit where Poe and Ben were readying to take off.

"Are we good!?" Poe asked though he was already starting to pull off the ground.

"Rey is still out there!" Finn replied panting, making Ben and Poe jerk their heads back.

"She's what!" Ben yelled in a panic.

"Shit-" Poe pulled up anyway, making the other two nervous.

Finn took a step closer, "What are you doing?"

"Picking her up!" Poe yelled turning the ship to face Rey, "Finn you get on the guns. Solo, you go grab that damn Jedi idiot, and let's get the kriff out here!"

Finn and Ben stared at each other momentarily before rushing off to accomplish the orders given to them by Poe. Ben wasn't the biggest fan of Poe Dameron, and he knew the feeling was mutual (also he invaded his mind once so there that.) but he did think the General was good at taking the lead. _Definitely got that from my mother._

Finn got on the guns as quickly as he could and laid down some suppressing fire to keep most of the Knights away from Rey. It was still a two vs one fight and he couldn't shoot the Knights near here without risking hitting Rey as well.

Poe managed to get the entrance to the Falcon right up next to where Rey was still fighting of the Knights of Ren.

Ben was stood on the entry ramp, yelling out to get Rey's attention, "Rey!" She didn't listen. Ben tried to connect with her but realized her thoughts were being skewed again by the Dark Side. He wouldn't let her fall down that path and he need to act fast.

So Ben did was his mother always told him to do as a child; he held out his hand, and put his hope in the Force. Moments later across the desert something came to him and landed in his hand. Upon looking down, Ben found Vader's lightsaber had returned to him.

With saber in hand Ben jumped down between Rey and the Knights of Ren, and at the sight of their former allied they stopped.

"Kylo Ren," One of the Knights; Vicrul, finally spoke, "You come to die, traitor?"

Rey finally registered Ben was next to her, and immediately pulled herself out of the trance she was stuck in, "Ben?! What are you-"

"Get on the Falcon," Ben said as he swung the lightsaber around, "I'm right behind you."

"I can't-"

"Go, Rey!" Ben yelled as another Knight; Trudgen, charged at him. He managed to avoid Trudgen's swing and with his free hand, Ben pulled Trudgen in and kneed him in the stomach. With the lightsaber, Ben defelted a swing from Vicrul. He turned his head to see that Rey was still watching him, "Go! I'm coming!"

She finally listened as she turned to the Falcon and took one great leap up to the entry ramp. After force pushing the two Knights away, Ben followed behind her. The Knights of Ren watched carefully as the entry ramp closed and the Falcon took off into the desert sky.

Once on the ship, Ben disarmed his lightsaber and dropped it to the floor. Rey was standing still, staring at the closed ramp, only twitching to the sound of the lightsaber hitting the metal floor. With a deep breath Rey turned around to confront Ben, "I'm sorry-"

Her apology was cut off by the feeling of his body colliding with her. Ben pulled Rey in tightly to his arms, hugging her tight, and his face buried into her shoulder. The two of them stumbled into a wall and Rey could feel Ben shaking in her arms, "Never do that again," she could just about hear him say into her neck, _I could've lost you._

_I'm sorry, _Rey replied for only him to hear, _I'm so sorry..._


	11. Chapter 11

_So many new followers lately! I'm so excited people are liking this! please dont hesitate to say hi and tell me what you think so far!_

* * *

After his mini-meltdown, Ben immediately escaped to the cockpit to help Poe get them as far away from Tatooine as they could get, and then back on track to Pasaana once they were certain no one was following them.

Meanwhile, Rey was feeling like she was going to have a meltdown of her own. It had been twice now since she saved Ben that she could feel herself slipping from the light into the darkness. There must have been something bigger going on with her because this wasn't the first time in her life she felt the pull. It was there on Ahch-To during her time training with Luke Skywalker, and it was there when Kylo Ren asked her to rule the galaxy with him. The temptation was like a screaming voice in the back of her mind, and she was always fighting to keep it away. Except for when she didn't. When she struck down the First Order transport...

When she almost killed Ben...

Rey took to her quarters and sat on the cold metal floor to meditate. Something beyond her control was happening to her, and she needed answers.

With Luke's lightsaber in her hands, she prayed to her old Master for guidance, "Be with me."

* * *

The cockpit had been relatively quiet for the past hour until Poe finally cleared his throat to ask Ben a question. He glanced over to find Ben with on hand on a lightsaber and his eyes glued to the empty space before them, "So... I thought you didn't have a lightsaber?"

"I don't," Ben told him. He wasn't sure where this overwhelming honesty he felt to have with Dameron came from. (maybe it was his mother telling him to play nice through the Force) "This was my grandfather's."

"I thought Rey had-"

"No, this was Vaders," Ben explained as he held it up in front of his own face to get a better look at it, "Sometimes I feel like they were separate people."

"Vader and Skywalker?" Poe questioned.

"Yes," Ben replied, putting the lightsaber down on the console in front of him. He sighed, not really knowing why he was spilling his guts to some rebel scum; but maybe that was just the saber talking, "My mother used to tell me stories about my grandmother but never my grandfather," He explained to Poe, "and Snoke used to tell me stories of Darth Vader, but no one ever seemed to have anything to say about Anakin Skywalker."

"Maybe there isn't much to say there," Poe shrugged as he sat back in his seat.

"My grandfather was not only one of the strongest Sith Lords who ever lived, but he was once a powerful Jedi," Ben went on as he took the reigns on the Falcon, "A slave as a child who had nothing, taken from his home planet on the idea that he would bring balance to the Force. Instead, he was tricked into falling straight into darkness, and no one seems to know why."

It was definitely interesting for Poe to see this new, more open side of the former Supreme Leader. Maybe Rey was right, maybe he was changing. "Who knows, you could find all your answers on Exegol for all we know."

Ben snickered and a smirk formed on his face, "I guess I could."

There were a few moments of silence between them before Poe spoke again, "Ya know," Poe shook his head, internally shocked these words were coming out of his mouth, "You're not terrible, Solo."

"Neither are you, Dameron."

Poe glanced his way before he sat up again, "And I'm sorry... about your mom."

Ben sighed, both of them now looking at each other, "Thank you."

* * *

Rey wasn't sure anymore who exactly she was trying to reach out to. The Jedi of Old. Luke. Leia. At this point, it didn't matter who answered her call. Rey felt lonely. It was like this black pit inside her had opened up and was trying to swallow her whole. And, sure, she had Ben but Rey feared that by telling him about the darkness in her and admitting to falling for its clutches she would bring Ben Solo down with her. She fought too hard to bring him back to the light, and she would not be the one who accidentally pushed him back to the darkness.

So Rey reached out to everyone and anyone, hoping someone would answer her.

And then, a voice did.

She could hear it like a whisper. Like if someone was calling out from far away, with a voice like an echo in a dark cave. Rey couldn't make out who it was, so she concentrated all her might into making the voice more clear. After a while, certain things did finally become clear. The voice was male, and definitely someone older. It was someone she had never heard before and yet- there was something familiar about the way they spoke. Then finally, Rey's heart dropped with her final realization.

This voice was _not_ talking to her.

Rey jumped to her feet with her lightsaber clenched tightly in on hand. She was careful to tread lightly, following the sound of the mystery voice as she moved slowly through the Falcon. She let the Force guide her to the cargo bay where she could see Finn down on one knee. He seemed to be looking at someone though she couldn't really see who.

"You have done well, my young apprentice, continue to mission guide Rey to the Emperor," The voice that spoke to him was dark and ominous, and more importantly, whoever it might be was most definitely _not_ Master Luke, "and... be wary of Kylo Ren. He has the potential to ruin everything."

"I won't fail you, Master Luke," Finn told the stranger, "Kylo Ren will not ruin your plans."

Rey hearts sunk into fear, "Finn..."

His head jerked up at the sound of her voice, and suddenly the voice hidden in the Force was gone, "What are you doing-"

"Who," Rey took a few steps back, "Who was that?"

"Master Luke," Finn told her, absolutely faithful in his answer.

Rey shook her head no as she continued to back away from him, "_That_ was not Master Luke."

Finn looked hurt and angry; his tone getting more aggressive as he spoke, "Of course it was! He's been with me ever since you abandoned us to join that Sith monster!"

"Ben changed, he is not-"

"You have let your emotions for him cloud your judgment for too long!" Finn snapped, "You saw Darth Vader's lightsaber go to him! You think that was a coincidence?"

Rey was also feeling an anger boil in her, "Ben is good!"

"No! He's not!" Finn yelled as he pulled his lightsaber from his side, "and I'm going to prove it to you."

* * *

Ben could suddenly feel a build-up of anxiety in his chest that made it very hard for him to breathe. Almost immediately he started panting and his heart started to race.

Poe did a double-take on his copilot and could see something was wrong, "Solo?"

"Rey-" Her named cracked through the panic, "She's- in trouble."

Poe's eyes shot opened wide, "Where?"

He had no problem opening the connection and finding Rey's location. She looked scared of whatever stood in front of her, "The- the cargo bay."

Ben got up through the panic and rushed out of the cockpit. "Shit-" Poe flipped a couple of switches and turned the Falcon into autopilot. Once he was good, Poe rushed out after him.

By the time Poe got to the cargo bay, he could see that Finn had already ignited his lightsaber and something about his good friend felt very wrong. Ben standing in front of Rey, blocking her from Finn. Poe realized then that Ben had left the lightsaber at his seat in the cockpit.

"Buddy," Poe was first to speak, "What's going on here?"

"Kylo Ren has been poisoning Rey with the Dark Side of the Force," Finn tightened his grip on his lightsaber, "I won't let him continue to corrupt her anymore!"

"I haven't done anything to her," Ben growled out defensively.

"Liar!" Finn yelled, "Master Skywalker told me you couldn't be trusted! He told me you're like a plague! Only here to ruin everything with your darkness!"

"Finn, this isn't like you!" Poe told his friend as he tried to take a step closer to his friend, "Put the lightsaber down and let's talk about this!"

Finn only continued to get angrier, "Are you seriously defending him?! After what he did to you?"

"No, I'm trying to stop you from making a huge mistake!" Poe snapped back, "No one here is your enemy!"

"Kylo Ren is."

"He's not Kylo Ren anymore!" Rey called out, "Ben Solo is one of us now."

"He's not and I won't let him poison you any longer," Finn raised his lightsaber above his waist, readying himself to strike.

"Finn- **Stop**!"

As Finn lunged forward to strike Ben, he reached his hand back for the blaster he knew Rey kept on her and lifted it up in the air. Ben aimed for a nonfatal part of Finn's body and fired the blaster but as the blast came closer to hitting Finn he stopped and Force pushed it out of the way.

And as the shot landed, they could hear a scream.

All heads turned to the sound of a body dropping heavy to the metal floor and the smell of blood entering the air. Before any words were said, a blaster was dropped, and a lightsaber was put out.

"**Poe!**" Rey screamed as she rushed to her friends' side. Finn went to move towards him but Ben pushed him as hard as he could with the Force, sending him flying into a pile of boxes nearby. Once Finn collided with the cargo, Ben rushed to help Poe.

"Ah, shit-" Poe muttered under his raspy breath as he moved his bloody hand from hit stomach. The blast his him good and he was losing a lot of blood face, "This isn't-"

"Stop! You just... you need to relax," Rey was holding her hands down over where he pushed into his wound, shaking as she did so. Rey looked over to Ben, who looked just as lost as she was. _His life force is fading._

Ben glanced at her, trying not to let guilt swallow him whole, "We need to get him to a bunk and stop the bleeding."

Poe shook his head, he was fading quick, "I don't know if I'm going to-"

"Yes, you are!" Rey was now sobbing.

Finn groaned as he lifted himself out of the wreck of boxes and looked over to where Ben and Rey hovered Poe on the floor. The moment he saw his friends blood split everywhere, he felt horrendous. Without a word, he slowly made his way over to Poe until he was standing over the trio, "What have I done..."

Ben went to try to lift Poe from the floor but the Generals screaming made him stop. He was in too much pain to be moved. Ben felt miserable, "I didn't mean-"

"Don't blame yourself," Poe joked through his pain, "I shouldn't have.. jumped between three bitter Jedi."

"You can't die, Poe," Rey sobbed, her hands now soaked in his blood, "The Resistance needs you!"

"No it doesn't," Poe shook his head as he teared up, "It has you three, and as long as we have the Jedi... we have hope-" Poe's eye slowly closed shut and his breathing slowed down to almost nonexistent.

"Poe? Poe!" Rey screamed as he started to slump into her lap. She could feel his Force at the end of its rope. It would snap at any moment, but she wouldn't let it. There must have been something she could do, some way she could save Poe's life. So Rey closed her eyes and let the Force consume her: body and mind. She thought back on her time on Ahch-To with Master Luke and the lessons he taught her about the Force.

The Force was not just a power the Jedi had; it was so much more. The Force was the epitome of life and death. It took up space around them, literally and figuratively. Everything living thing had a Force somewhere inside them whether they could use it or not. It was what made them alive. It was also what made death mean something.

So why couldn't Rey use that power to change the fate of someone's life?

With that idea in mind, Rey moved one of her bloody hands away from Poe's wound using it to pull him in close and used the other to focus all of her Force energy into that moment. She calmed herself the best she could and relaxed her breathing as she attempted to transfer some of her Force energy into Poe.

And it worked.

Rey gave him enough of her life to heal the wound and close it completely before letting go. The moment the wound was closed up Poe jumped up out of her arms, gasping for air as Rey passed out from exhaustion. Still trying to catch his breath, Poe looked at Ben and gasped, "What happened?"

Ben managed to catch Rey as she fell back, holding her close to him, "I- I don't know."


	12. Chapter 12

_hope everyone had a good weekend! let's get back to it!_

* * *

Ben stopped the Falcon's travel through hyperspace before they could reach Pasaana. There, in the dead of space, the Falcon sat on autopilot not really going anywhere. There weren't any planets in range, which meant no First Order patrols to look for. Two of their four-man crew were temporarily down for the count and Finn...

Finn was being locked in his room until Poe and Ben could decide whether or not to trust him.

Ben had pulled up a chair to the bunk he had put Rey down and watched her as she rested, his scarred hand holding on to one of hers. She had been out for over 24 hours, and after checking over a dozen times Ben could say with almost complete confidence that Rey was not dead. It was like she was recharging her battery; the stunt she had pulled to save Poe's life had taken a lot out of her...

_What exactly was that, Rey? What were you thinking?_

Of course, Ben couldn't be entirely upset with her. What she did was the thing that ended up saving Poe's life, even at the risk of her own. No matter how much she had scared him Ben couldn't help but smile proudly. He had been worried about the dark cloud that seemed to be lingering over her for some time now but after an act of this much selflessness, it was clear that Rey's goodwill truly outshined everything.

Ben could hear staggered footsteps come behind him, and a knock on the wall followed by a voice, "How is she?"

Ben turned back to look at Poe; who was still not at one hundred percent himself, and nodded, "Still resting, but okay. She seems stable."

"I-" Poe stuttered, "I didn't know Jedi can do that."

"It's very rare but not impossible," Ben explained. He remembered reading about it in his youth how there had been Jedi long ago who could force heal. It wasn't an impossible feat but it did take a lot out of a person to accomplish, "It's been a long time since it's been recorded that a Jedi could do such a thing."

"But Rey is much more than just any Jedi, isn't she?" Poe asked as he took a couple of steps forward.

Ben looked back at Rey, and squeezed her hand gently, "I saw a vision of her once, not that long ago," Ben thought back to that moment in his room when he first touched her through their connection, "I thought I saw the truth about her parents... about who she was," Ben looked back at Poe and sighed, "but it seems I didn't see the entire truth."

"Whatever it is, we'll find it in Pasaana," Poe tried to be as insuring sounding as possible, "I don't know much about the Force but it must have brought all of here together for a reason," Poe put his hand on his chest where Rey healed him and smiled softly, "Whatever it is that may be going on here, we'll figure it out. All of us... _together._"

"Including Finn?" Ben tried not to hold too much anger for the man but he couldn't help but make a face when his name came to mind. What had happened was equal parts of his and Finn's fault.

"If we can learn to trust _you_ after all of your mistakes," Poe sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Then we gotta learn to trust Finn again."

* * *

Finn was pacing back and forth in the bunk that Ben and Poe had locked him in. They took away his lightsaber and anything else he might have had and made sure to lock the door behind him. He deserved it though, every bit of the hate and disgust they had for him now he deserved all of it.

What in the galaxy was going on with him?

This wasn't the same Finn that rescued Poe from the First Order and helped Rey bring BB-8 back to the Resistance no matter how much his body was screaming at him to run away. This wasn't the same guy who was ready to sacrifice everything for the Resistance before Rose stopped him from unnecessary killing himself.

Maybe he was the one who had been poisoned by the darkness.

In the Force, he could feel that Rey was okay, not awake yet but okay. He regretted every decision he had made since he pushed her away almost 4 months ago.

He could hear footsteps coming down the hall and stop right in front of his door. After the sound of a few locks coming undone, the door opened and on the other side was Poe, "Hungry?" Poe asked waving a portion pack in his hand.

Finn shook his head no, "Is Rey awake yet?"

"Nope," Poe was very standoffish, Finn could see it in his friends' posture.

"Poe I'm-"

"What you did," Poe swallowed back any tears he could, "You could have put the entire Resistance at risk. Everything that we are..."

"Poe, I'm sorry-"

"You don't get it, do you?!" Poe snapped back, "This thing is the only thing I got to my name and these people," Poe sniffled back any emotions he had in him, "They're the only family I got left..." His eyes betrayed him anyway as the tears started to form, "I care about you Finn, but I won't let you destroy everything I have because you have your head up your ass!"

Finn was deep into the waterworks now, "I thought I _was_ protecting my family..."

"No! You weren't- you were just... being selfish," Poe turned to walk away and Finn took a step forward to stop him.

"Poe-"

"I am not-" Poe turned around pointing a disappointing figure at him, "Ready to trust you. Not yet..."

* * *

Twenty four hours turned to thirty-two and then to four-eight hours of Rey being out cold. Ben started getting anxious. What would he do if she never woke up? How would he continue to say in the light without Rey? She was everything to him, and Ben wasn't sure he would do without her.

So Ben did everything he could to wake her up. He meditated for hours on end and focused the rest of his time trying to call Rey through their connection. He spent just about every minute while she was out in that room with her. Occasionally he'd be joined by Poe or BB-8 and Threepio, but most of the time it was just Ben and Rey.

_Be with me._

He didn't know how many times he asked- no, _begged_ her to be with him. To wake up. To come back home. At one point Ben was sobbing on his hands and knees begging for her to wake up: and he was sure that Poe had heard him do it too. It didn't matter to him though, all that mattered was Rey.

_Be with me._

Rey, who he had told himself thousands of times he didn't need. Who he almost killed on multiple occasions. Now he was here at her bedside in agony, trying not to lose himself without her. I should've gone with you from the beginning. He cursed himself for being so stupid. Why did he wait so long to be Ben Solo? Kylo Ren had nothing to his name, but Ben... Ben had Rey, and Rey was everything to him.

_Be with me._

On the fourth day of her being out, Poe came to join him, taking a seat and pulling it up next to Ben. They sat in silence for a while but he knew that there was something on the Generals mind that he wanted to say.

After 15 minutes of silence, Poe spoke, "I talked to Rose this morning."

"And?" Ben didn't mean to be so snippy, but the aggression snuck out into his voice.

"We should take Rey back to Ajan Kloss, where someone can really take care of her," Poe tried his best to soften the blow, "There's nothing we can do for her out here. We are wasting time and gas, and there's still a mission to do-"

"I am **not** leaving her behind!" Ben snapped as he turned to Poe.

Poe looked at Ben with tired eyes and sighed, "It's -It's not leaving her behind, Solo... we have to find this Wayfinder. We can't let Palpatine win! Otherwise, what was this all for?"

Before Ben could protest someone more, a feeling I'm his chest caused him to stop. "You- You should listen to him..." A soft voice called out stopping both boys from their bickering, "He's still our General..."

They both turned to face the bed to find Rey was awake, tired eyes staring back at them. She smiled and it brought tears to both their eyes. Poe was the first to call out to her, "Rey!"

Rey looked at Poe and smiled, "You're okay." She then moved her attention to Ben, and her heart broke a little at the sight of him almost fully sobbing, "Ben? What's wrong?"

Without any (coherent) words, Ben collapsed into Rey's shoulder and sobbed. Poe had never seen the former Sith cry, and Rey had only ever seen him like this once; after his mother had passed. Rey slowly lifted her hands in the air and put them in his hair, cradling his head. It's okay Ben, I'm here.

**_I love you._**

"What?" Rey answered out loud. Ben lifted his head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, without repeating the words he spoke to her across the force. He smiled as he lifted his head, and tried to hide wiping his tears away. She looked between the two guys, and felt really confused, "How- how long was I out?"

Poe looked at Ben at a glance, who was still wiping his face, "Three... Four days?"

"103 hours..." Ben added, matter of factly, "Saving Poe's life took a lot out of you."

"Four days! I was out for four days!?" Rey attempted to jump up but her body was sore from laying down for so long. Ben reached out to help her, but she waved him away. She took in the room for a moment before something was missing, "Where's Finn?"

* * *

Finn could feel Rey was awake before she came to visit him. Not that he expected her to want to visit him. Their last encounter had been quite the never wrecking one, and Finn still hadn't forgiven himself for what he had done. So how could Rey?

Whether she did or didn't forgive him, Rey did come to visit. Finn had half the mind to jump up and hug her but he could feel Kylo Ren's presence lingering in the air. Rey slowly walked into the room, still trying to get accustomed to moving after being in bed for four days. She leaned against the doorway as she talked to him, not fully coming into the room.

Finn couldn't help but smile, it was the least he could do without crossing boundaries, "You're okay."

"I am," Rey's smile was faint as she crossed her arms over her chest, "So..."

"Rey- I'm," His face softened as he looked for the right words to say, "I... I messed up. Really bad-"

"You almost killed Poe," Rey's smile disappeared and sad eyes were now all could focus on, "And for what? What would you've accomplished if you struck Ben down?"

"I- I..." Finn stuttered, "I don't know."

She took a deep breath and stood up straight, "We have to get back to our mission, and we are going to need everyone if we are going to find this Wayfinder," She took two steps forward, "So are you with us?"

Finn nodded yes and Rey said nothing else. Instead, she turned back for the door and started to leave. This time, no one locked Finn in when she was gone. It took him a couple of seconds to gather the courage to leave the room, but by the time he did, he could just see Rey turn a corner.

* * *

Rey knew she probably should've said more to Finn. She should've yelled at him, really let him know what he did was wrong but she couldn't. Her mind was so preoccupied with something much more pressing to her and she couldn't get it out of her mind.

Ben had told Rey he loved her.

She's never heard those words before. Not about her. Rey couldn't recall a single, solitary moment in which someone had told her they loved her.

Now it was all she could think about.

She found Ben in his room, looking absolutely ridiculous as he sat at the edge of his bunk. The beds were definitely not Ben-sized, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him.

"What's so funny?" Ben asked without looking up. His eyes were focused on whichever Jedi text he'd happen to be reading at that moment.

"The Falcon was not made with a man of your stature in mind, " Rey joked as she walked a little closer to him.

Ben snorted, "No, they weren't."

Rey found her way to the bed and sat beside Ben, "What are you reading?"

"I'm trying to figure out exactly what my Uncle was trying to do with-"

"Ben, did you mean it?" Rey asked, cutting him off. He finally lifted his head from the book and stared at her with those dark eyes she was absolutely over the moon for, "Do you-"

"Yes," Ben replied before she could even finish, "More than you could imagine."

The breath she exhaled was shaky. He had definitely taken Rey's breath away, "Say it again."

Ben put the book down next to him, his eyes never breaking from hers. As he turned his body to better face her, Ben put his bad behind her neck, his touch gentle and warm, "I love you."

The words made her weak in the knees and Rey was certain if she was standing she would've fallen over. Slowly, Rey leaned in closer to him and her hand wrapped mindless around his neck. It was like she wasn't in control anymore, "Again..."

His mouth was lingering just above hers and she could feel the words tingle down her spine as he spoke, "I love you, Rey."

With the sound of her name flowing slowly out of his mouth Rey pulled Ben closer until his lips clashed with hers. She could feel his free hand slipping behind her waist and pull her body closer to him. The taste of him was the most incredible thing she had the pleasure of trying. Rey wanted so much more of him, but this was war and she knew now was not the time. So instead, Rey took what she could get. Cherishing every kiss he gave.

For a moment, Rey wished they were still on Tatooine.

Then like an unrelenting wave regret had kicked in. She almost /killed/ Ben. Finn almost killed Ben. She almost lived her whole life without knowing what it was like to be kissed by Ben Solo. A man who had loved her so much, no matter what she did. Rey didn't feel worthy. Then, suddenly, there were tears.

"Rey?" Ben said as he broke the kiss, his had moved away from her neck and up to her cheek to wipe the tears away, "What's wrong?"

The words broke her more coming out then they did when they were almost in her head, "I almost lost you... and I would've never known-"

"But you didn't," Ben smiled softly, kissing her cheek where the tears were still rolling down her face, "And you've known. You've always known."

"It's not the same as hearing you say it," Rey sobbed, and Ben couldn't help but chuckle.

He kissed her again, this time on the lips, "I love you, Rey. I think I have long before I met you, and I will love you long after I'm dead. Nothing will ever change that."

Rey smiled, resting her head against his, her fingers curled tightly around his shirt, "I love you, Ben Solo." As Ben held her tightly in his arms, Rey felt the weight of the world lifted off their shoulders (if only for a moment) and she could feel herself become at peace.

For so long there was a pull; no an anchor, something that held him back from turning completely to the dark but also held him from going back to the light. It was there all this time, weighing him down. Haunting his dreams. Until she came along. Until Rey turned his world upside down and now he could feel it. That cord has been cut, and Ben Solo is free. Now nothing could stop him from being who he was. A man in love with a Scavenger girl. Rey.

_His Rey._


End file.
